THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 
OF  CALIFORNIA 

LOS  ANGELES 

GIFT  OF 
Mrs.  Eugene  O'Brien 


I 


FIRST  WED,  THEN  WON. 


E.  MARIE  CLARK,  A.  W.  U. 


ONEONTA,    N.  V. 

THE  ONEONTA   PRESS, 

1901. 


?£> 


AUTHOR'S    NOTE. 


IT  is  not  my  intention  to  write  a  history  of 
Cooperstown,  only  so  far  as  this  story  coin- 
cides Avith  history.  But,  as  there  has  been  many 
•changes  in  some  of  the  places  named  within 
this  book,  since  1885,  some  explanations  have 
been  necessary,  many  of  these  places  having 
been  made  famous  by  the  pen  of  James  Feni- 
more  Cooper. 


837-135 


CONTENTS. 


The  Widow. 
The  Message. 

Orabelle's  Singular  Marriage. 
Several  Changes. 
Claud  Mitchel. 
Claud  and  His  Travels. 
Cloud  No  Larger  Than  a    Man's  Hand. 
The  Child  Wife. 
IX.        Home  gain. 
New  Friends. 
Baylis  Buys  an  Old  Mine. 
Crieg  Returns  East. 

XIII.  Haywood's  Letter. 

XIV.  The  Bride's  Theft. 

XV.  The  Journey  and  Crieg's  Nest. 

XVI.  The  Old  and  The  New. 

XVII.  Orabelle  Disappears. 

XVIII.  News  from  Home. 

XIX.  A  Mistake  and  the  Result. 

XX.  Conclusion. 


ILLUSTRATIONS. 


Bird's  Eye  View  of  Cooperstown. 
View  of  Park. 
"       "  the  Old  Memorial. 
"       "  Cooper  Monument. 

"      Grave. 

"  King  Fisher  Tower. 
Outline  of  Our  Lazy  Boy. 

"        "    Orabelle  at  eighteen. 
View  of  Oneonta  of  To-day. 
Claud  Mitchel. 


VIKW  OF  COOPER  MOXi'MKNT 


PREFACE. 


COOPERSTOWN— THE  LAKE  AND  RIVER. 


Nearly  midway  within  the  Empire  State — 
Did  Cooper  to  the  world  relte; 
How  beneath  the  fairest  of  azure  skies 
The  "  Glimmerglass  "  in  beauty  lies. 

On  the  southern  shore  of  this  fairy  lake 
Cooper  his  home  resolved  to  make; 
And  send  forth  his  "  Leatherstocking  Tales" 
Of  Cooperstown  and  its  surrounding  vales. 

The  Susquehanna  is  but  a  gently  flowing  stream, 
Where,  through  the  trees,  it  is  pierced  by  a  golden  sunbeam.; 
Though  the  outlet  of  this  lake  'tis  crooked  and  long 
That  Chesapeake  Bay  ends  its  murmuring  song, 

A  monument  to  Cooper's  memory  in  grandeur  stands. 
Just  across  the  lake  on  sacred  lands, 
Where  the  white  stones  tell  of  the  struggling  men 
Who,  long  years  ago,  wielded  a  quill  pen. 

In  the  Episcopal  churchyard,  near  his  old  home, 
Cooper  sleeps  his  last  sleep;  no  more  to  roam 
From  the  scenes  of  his  childhood  through  fiction  land; 
For  he's  ovef  the  rivet  with  the  Heavenly  band, 

MARIE. 


FIRST  WED,  THEN  WON. 


CHAPTER  I. 

THE  WIDOW. 

Belmont  was  a  lawyer  of  some 
renown,  when,  shortly  after  the  Civil 
War  closed,  he  came  to  Oneonta,  a  thriving 
little  hamlet  just  twenty-two  miles  from  Otsego 
lake,  situated  on  the  west  shore  of  the  beautiful 
Susquehanna. 

After  a  few  years'  work  in  his  profession, 
death  claimed  him  among  its  victims,  leaving 
Mrs.  Belmont  to  struggle  on  alone  in  the  battle 
of  life.  Though  her  life  was  rather  uneventful 
and  commonplace,  and  a  continual  struggle  for 
daily  bread,  she  seemed  quite  happy. 

One  child,  a  girl,  blessed  her  lonely  life. 
This  girl  was  six  or  seven  years  of  age  at  the 


i8  FIRST    WED,    THEN    WON. 

time  of  her  father's  death.  Mrs.  Belmont 
claimed  no  desire  to  live  at  that  time,  only  for 
the  sake  of  this  little  girl.  The  girl  seemed  to 
care  for  naught  but  books.  These  she  seemed 
to  devour.  Being  of  a  bashful  and  retiring 
disposition,  many  prophesied  that  she  was  too 
dreamy  to  accomplish  whatever  she  might 
undertake. 

Not  far  from  the  Belmont  home  resided  a 
family  by  the  name  of  Mitchel,  who  had  known 
Mrs.  Belmont  since  childhood.  Rumor  said 
Mrs.  Belmont  had  married  the  colonel  out  of 
spite,  after  jilting  Mitchel.  Be  that  as  it  may, 
the  families  were  firm  friends  at  this  time ;  and 
whatever  the  widow  did  for  the  welfare  of 
herself  and  child  was  by  the  advice  of  the 
Mitchels. 

Orabelle  Belmont  was  ten  years  old  when  her 
mother  mortgaged  their  home  to  Mr.  Mitchel, 
for  money  to  invest  in  a  millinery  establish- 
ment. Time  passed  on  and  the  widow  was 
successful  in  her  business  until  ill  health  came 
upon  her,  then  she  gradually  failed  until  her 


FIRST   WED,    THEN   WON.  19 

physician  said  she  must  cease  her  labors.  That 
terrible  disease  consumption  had  fastened  its 
cruel  fangs  upon  this  cherished  mother. 

"Mamma,"  said  Orabelle  one  day  in  the 
spring,  when  out  of  doors  the  birds  were  giving 
forth  joyous  carols,  and  the  grass  was  putting 
forth  its  tender  shoots  of  vivid  green,  while  all 
was  bright  with  the  golden  rays  of  the  morning 
sun,  "  Mamma,  I  believe  I  could  trim  the  hats 
and  keep  the  shop  running,  if  you  would  only 
show  me  how." 

Mrs.  Belmont  had  been  telling  her  daughter 
of  their  financial  troubles;  she  thought  their 
shop  would  have  to  be  abandoned ;  and  this 
was  Orabelle 's  idea  of  arising  from  their  slough 
of  despond. 

"You,  child  !  No  one  would  buy  them  if 
they  thought  a  little  girl  like  you  had  trimmed 
them, ' '  she  said,  with  a  half  chiding  smile. 

"But,  mamma,"  continued  Orabelle  so  plead- 
ingly, "  you  know  I  have  helped  you  many 
times  in  your  hurried  season;  and,  you  said  I 
did  them  as'well  as  Nora  did ! " 


20  FIRST    WED,    THEN    WON. 

"Yes,  I  know  that;  but  then  I  was  by  to 
show  you  just  how  to  do  them.  Now  I  can  not 
take  one  stitch,"  she  sadly  answered,  for  oh! 
so  vainly  did  she  wish  for  strength  to  care  for 
her  child. 

"  Oh,  mamma,  you  said  if  you  had  not  been 
sick,  you  could  have  paid  the  mortgage  in 
another  year.  Now,  let  me  stay  home  from 
school.  Nora  and  I  will  try  to  keep  the  shop 
open  until  you  are  able  to  work  again.  You 
know  your  chair  can  be  moved  into  the  shop, 
and  you  can  tell  us  what  we  ought  to  do. ' ' 

Mrs.  Belmont  sent  for  the  Mitchels  and 
placed  her  case  before  them  for  advice.  They 
thought  it  well  to  encourage  the  child,  so  their 
advice  was:  "  Give  the  girls  a  trial." 

"  But,"  said  Mrs.  Mitchel,  after  they  arrived 
home,  "  that  child  is  too  bashful  to  ever 
succeed.  Nora  Wells  may  carry  them  through, 
for  she  has  just  the  ability  and  courage  to  make 
a  grand  success  in  life. " 

"  I  hope  all  will  be  well  with  them,"  said  Mr. 
Mitchel;  "one  thing  certain,  Mary,  I  shall  not 


FIRST    WED,    THEN    WON.  21 

hurry  Lillie  Belmont  for  that  money,  should 
she  fail  to  pay  it  when  due." 

"Do  not,  even  though  you  should  lose  it," 
she  said  pleadingly. 

4 '  She  has  paid  it  all  now,  but  three 
hundred,"  he  said,  musingly. 

"She  would  have  paid  that  this  year,  then," 
Mrs.  Mitchel  said  in  a  tone  of  surprise. 

' '  Yes,  without  a  doubt, ' '  he  answered  with  a 
sigh. 

Those  two  girls — one  a  child  of  thirteen — 
gained  the  good  will  of  all  their  old  customers 
and  of  many  new  ones  beside.  But  they  were 
not  successful  financially,  for  they  were  easy 
prey  for  sharpers.  When  the  time  came  to  pay 
the  mortgage,  only  money  enough  to  pay  the 
interest  was  in  their  possession;  but  a  kind 
hearted  man  held  that  mortgage. 

Mrs.  Belmont  grew  worse  that  fall,  compelled 
to  keep  her  room  all  the  time.  Then  she  wrote 
to  her  sister  in  Albany,  telling  her  just  how  she 
was  situated,  but  no  answer  did  she  receive. 

Then   she  was   sure  her  sister  would  never 


22  FIRST   WED,    THEN   WON. 

forgive  her,  because  she  had  married  a  soldier 
of  the  rebel  army. 

' '  But,  Orabelle,  she  might  forgive  me  now, ' ' 
she  said,  some  two  months  after  she  sent  the 
letter. 

"Nevermind,  mamma!  I  will  soon  be  old 
enough  to  care  for  you ! ' ' 

Oh,  how  bravely  she  said  it. 

Her  mother  gazed  at  her  fondly,  then,  as  she 
smoothed  the  hair  back  from  her  brow,  she 
said: 

"  Orabelle,  you  must  promise  me  one  thing — 
if  I  am  taken  away — I  want  you  to  write  to 
your  Aunt  Kate  and  tell  her  I  am  dead.  Tell 
her  I  always  loved  her.  Tell  her  my  love  goes 
back  to  the  time  of  our  childhood  when  she, 
brother  Ross  and  myself,  used  to  gather  around 
our  mother's  knee,  and  she  would  teach  us  our 
little  evening  prayer — just  as  I  have  taught 
you,  Orabelle — and  that  as  I  prayed  then,  just 
so  I  pray  now  for  forgiveness  of  all  my  wrong 
doing.  Tell  her  I  said  if  she  could  not  forgive 
me  when  living — to  forgive  me  now  for  the  sake 


FIRST    WED,    THEN    WON.  23 

of  my  child.  Remember,  you  are  to  write  after 
I  am  dead — not  before. ' ' 

' '  But  mamma,  why  tell  me  these  things 
now? " 

"  Because  I  can  tell  you  now,  and  there  may 
come  a  time  when  you  will  be  glad  to  know 
what  my  wishes  were.  " 

"  Mamma,  you  spoke  of  a  brother — where  is 
he?" 

"  I  do  not  know.  He  went  to  California 
some  time  ago — I  think  ten  years  ago.  We 
have  never  heard  from  him  since." 

"  That  is  strange !  Was  he  angry  at  you,  like 
Aunt  Kate?" 

"  No.  Ross  said  if  I  loved  your  father  that 
was  enough.  But,  dear  child,  you  are  not  old 
enough  to  understand  these  things,  so  we  had 
best  not  talk  of  them. ' ' 

After  a  moment's  silence  she  resumed : 

"  Orabelle,  you  will  find  in  my  journal  a 
complete  history  of  my  life,  which  I  wish  you 
to  read  after  my  death.  There  you  will  find 
the  address  of  your  Aunt  Kate — unless  she  has 


24  FIRST   WED,    THEN    WON. 

changed  her  residence.  Promise  me  never  to 
read  it  as  long  as  I  live,  unless  I  give  you 
permission.  Will  you  promise?  " 

"Dear  mama,  I  would  rather  not  promise! 
But,  if  you  wish  it — then  I  must  comply  with 
your  wishes.  I  promise. ' ' 


CHAPTER    II. 

THE    MESSAGE. 

Some  find  work  and  some  find  rest, 
And  so  the  weary  world  goes  on  ; 
Some  hearts  beat  while  some  hearts  break, 
I  often  wonder  why  it  is  so. 

FATHER  RYAN. 

THE  union  of  the  Mitchels  was  blessed  by 
one  child,  a  son.  Claud  Mitchel  was  one 
of  those  happy-go-lucky  sort  of  boys,  of  sunny 
disposition,  bright  blue  eyes  and  dark  brown 
hair.  He  was  attending  school  at  the  "  parlor 
city  "  just  at  this  time  and  had  been  for  some 
years. 

If  his  father  had  told  him  at  any  time  to  pass 
through  a  burning  building  or  even  to  swim 


FIRST    WED,    THEN    WON.  25 

over  Niagara  rapids  and  said  it  was  right,  Claud 
would  have  attempted  the  feat;  for  his  regard 
for  his  father  verged  on  the  side  of  worship. 
As  he  said  sometimes  to  his  chums : 

' '  I  have  a  perfect  father,  boys.  I  have  com- 
plete faith  in  him,  that  he  would  no  more  do  a 
wrong  act  than  you  know  I  would  wrong  you; 
or  no  more  than  I  would  cut  off  this  right  hand 
of  mine. ' ' 

At  the  request  of  his  mother,  Claud  came 
home  for  the  Christmas  vacation,  an  unusual 
happening,  but  this  year  Christmas  was  the 
twenty-fifth  anniversary  of  their  marriage  and 
Claud's  eighteenth  birthday. 

Their  friends  gave  them  a  surprise  on  Christ- 
mas night  and  left  as  tokens  of  friendship  many 
beautiful  and  costly  presents :  for  Claud  a  dia- 
mond scarf  pin.  He  did  not  need  it  to  remind 
him  of  his  eighteenth  birthday. 

After  their  guests  had  departed  and  they  were 
preparing  to  retire,  there  came  a  message  re- 
questing Mr.  Mitch  el  to  ' '  come  immediately  to 
Mrs.  Belmont's. " 


26  FIRST   WED,    THEN    WON. 

Mr.  Mitchel  hastened  to  comply ;  and  hurried- 
ly passed  to  the  home  of  the  widow.  There  he 
found  the  doctor  bending  over  his  patient, 
giving  her  stimulants  to  keep  the  breath  of  life 
from  leaving  her  body.  As  he  entered  the 
room,  he  heard  the  widow  ask  the  doctor  how 
long  he  thought  she  might  live. 

' '  That  is  beyond  my  knowledge, ' '  replied 
Dr.  Groat;  "  I  think  you  have  strength  to  live 
a  few  hours — perhaps  days.  But  you  know 
that  one  more  hemorrhage  like  this  you  have 
just  had,  cannot  but  make  you  weaker,  and 
possibly  break  the  brittle  thread  of  life.  If  you 
have  anything  you  wish  to  say  to  Mr.  Mitchel 
before  that  time  comes,  you  had  better  say  it 
now,  for  he  is  here. ' ' 

"  That  was  the  reason  I  asked  you  to  send  for 
him,"  she  said;  "I  felt  I  could  not  live  long,  at 
best.  Give  him  instructions  concerning  the 
cordial ;  then  leave  the  room,  but  not  the  house, 
for  we  may  need  you. ' ' 

The  doctor  did  as  she  bade  him,  then  left  the 
room. 


FIRST   WED,    THEN   WON.  27 

As  soon  as  they  were  alone,  she  asked : 

4 '  Did  you  hear  what  the  doctor  said  ? ' ' 

' '  Yes,  but  I  cannot  see  why  you  sent  for  me 
now, ' '  replied  Mitchel. 

"  I  will  tell  you  in  good  time.  You  know 
just  how  my  financial  affairs  are.  You  know 
about  the  mortgage.  You  nor  I  do  not  know 
what  will  become  of  my  child  if  I  leave  her  like 
that.  Can  you  tell  me  what  to  do  or  to  say, 
that  will  benefit  her  after  I  am  gone  ?  ' ' 

4 *  Mrs.  Belmont,  do  not  worry  over  her,  I  will 
look  after  her  welfare !  "  he  said,  reassuringly. 

"You  say  so,  but  do  you  realize  what  that 
promise  means?" 

"I  think  I  do!" 

'*  I  will  test  it  now!"  Then  after  a  moment 
she  added,  ' '  Send  for  your  son — he  is  home  I 
have  heard — and  ask  him  to  marry  my  child. ' ' 

"Preposterous,  woman!  they  are  children!" 

44  For  the  sake  of  by-gone  days,  Frank,  grant 
this  my  dying  request,"  she  pleaded;  "  if  you 
had  asked  me  this  same  question  I  should  have 
answered  you  differently." 


28  FIRST   WED,    THEN   WON. 

"  How  could  you!"  he  cried,  "  Claud  is  only 
eighteen ;  Orabelle  but  a  child  of  fourteen ;  and 
neither  of  them  can  know  what  marriage 
means!" 

' '  I  should  have  told  you  if  the  children  did 
not  object  after  they  were  told  the  circum- 
stances— that  I  would  consent.  Won't  you  send 
for  Claud,  and " 

"  I  will  send  for  Claud,  and  we  will  see,"  he 
interrupted. 

He  thought  it  but  the  vagaries  of  a  dying 
consumptive  and,  though  somewhat  startled  by 
the  request,  he  would  humor  her  enough  to 
send  for  his  son.  He  left  the  room  and  sent  a 
message  for  him. 

When  the  message  came  to  Mrs.  Mitchel  she 
sent  for  Claud  and  gave  him  the  message  saying 
she  thought  it  a  strange  proceeding  for  mid- 
night of  Christmas  night. 

Claud  arrived  after  a  few  moments'  delay, 
and  his  father  soon  laid  the  facts  before  him  in 
the  presence  of  the  widow. 

Claud    looked    at    his    father    after  he   had 


FIRST    WED,    THEN    WON.  29 

finished  his  story,  then  at  the  wasted  form  at 
his  side,  then  back  at  his  father  as  much  as  to 
say;  "  I  don't  comprehend." 

The  widow  saw  the  look  and  asked:  "  Claud, 
won't  you  grant  a  dying-  woman's  request  and 
make  my  child  your  wife?" 

"  Mrs.  Belmont,  I  have  not  seen  your  daugh- 
ter since  she  was  ten  years  old.  She  seems  but 
a  little  girl  to  me!" 

"A  little  girl  may  become  a  wonderful 
woman,  Claud,"  she  said,  thoughtfully. 

' '  That  is  true — but  I  am  a  boy,  you  might 
say.  I  have  no  means  of  support,  I  am  depen- 
dent on  my  father  for  my  support.  Think  you 
it  would  be  right  for  me  to  marry,  and  bring 
home  a  child  wife  for  him  to  educate  and 
support?"  he  asked,  for  the  subject  was  a 
disagreeable  one  at  that  moment. 

"  Claud,  your  father  sent  for  you  at  my 
request ;  do  you  think  he  would  have  done  so, 
if  he  had  not  been  willing  for  you  to  contract 
this  marriage?" 

' '  I  suppose  not, ' '  he  said  thoughtfully,  then 


30  FIRST   WED,    THEN  WON. 

turned  and  walked  several  times  across  the 
room.  Then  he  turned  back  to  the  bedside  and 
said: 

"  Does  my  father  ask  me  to  make  this  sacri- 
fice for  him?  That  lady's  child  may  object!" 
And  every  particle  of  color  receded  from  his 
cheeks  as  he  finished  speaking,  for  he  thought 
what  that  promise  would  mean. 

"  My  son,"  replied  his  father,  "  if  you  have 
no  entanglements  to  hold  you  back,  I  would 
that  you  could  save  this  child  from  being 
thrown  on  this  cold  world's  mercy." 

"Father,  if  you  request  me  to  marry  this 
child,  I  will — providing  she  will  let  me,"  he 
answered,  as  though  he  did  not  wish  to  grant 
the  request. 

"  I  do  request  it,  if  you  have  nothing  against 
the  marriage  except  her  youth. ' ' 

"  Then  it  shall  be!  even  though  it  shall  cause 
us  a  life-time  of  woe,"  he  said. 

"  God  bless  you!"  cried  the  widow,  while  the 
shadow  of  death  crept  o'er  her  face. 

"  Now,  will  Claud's  promise  to  marry  your 


FIRST   WED,    THEN   WON.  31 

child,  relieve  you  of  that  fear  for  her,  that 
you  had?  "  asked  Mr.  Mitchel,  in  a  relieved 
tone. 

"  Yes,  partially.  But  he  may  change  his 
mind  after  I  am  dead. ' '  And  turning  her  eyes 
to  Claud's  face  with  a  searching  look,  she  asked, 
with  tears  in  her  eyes : 

"  Claud,  will  you  marry  her  to-night?  " 

He  started  back  from  the  bed  as  if  in  agony, 
then  quickly  said: 

' '  There  is  no  need  of  hurry.  I  have  given 
you  my  promise,  and  that  I  never  break!" 

' '  But  I  would  like  to  see  you  married  before 
I  die !  ' '  cried  the  dying  woman. 

"Madam,  I  am  preparing  for  college.  I  am 
to  return  to  school  this  morning.  I  will  finish 
my  studies,  then  I  will  fulfil  my  vow!  " 

"  No,  no?"  she  wildly  cried,  partly  rising  and 
clasping  his  hand,  "  give  her  your  name  for 
protection — go  back  to  your  school  as  you  in- 
tended. Let  her  go  home  with  your  father 
when  I  am  gone. ' ' 

' '  Father !  would  you  advise  me  to  grant  her 


32  FIRST    WED,    THEN   WON. 

request?"  and  Claud  turned  away  from  the 
pleading  eyes  of  the  dying  woman. 

"  I  do  not  know  what  would  be  best — but,  it 
would  comfort  her  if  you  would  do  so,"  the 
father  slowly  said. 

"  Then,  father,  I  will.  Send  for  the  child- 
let  me  see  my  bride-to-be.  But  one  thing  I 
request — do  not  compel  that  child  to  marry 
me, ' '  and  he  went  to  the  other  side  of  the  bed 
and  sat  ^down  as  he  finished  speaking. 

Mr.  Mitchel  sent  for  Orabelle.  She  came 
into  the  room  with  a  scared  and  sleepy  look  in 
her  eyes.  She  went  to  the  side  of  her  mother 
and  asked  why  they  sent  for  her,  scarcely 
noticing  the  strangers. 

"My  child,  I  am  dying,"  her  mother  said, 
as  she  clasped  the  child  to  her  bosom ;  and,  as 
the  child  began  to  cry,  she  resumed: 

"Do  not  cry!  you  and  I  have  talked  of  death 
and  what  you  must  do  after  my  death.  Now, 
do  you  think  you  could  grant  my  dying  request 
after  we  tell  you  just  how  you  are  situated?" 

The  girl  hesitated  a  moment  then  said : 


FIRST    WED,    THEN    WON.  33 

"  Mamma,  tell  me  and  then  I  can  say,"  and 
she  arose  to  her  feet  and  closely  watched 
her  mother  as  she  listened. 

They  soon  told  her,  how,  if  her  aunt  Kate 
Grey  should  not  provide  for  her  that  she  would 
have  to  enter  a  home  for  the  friendless  or  do  as 
they  now  proposed,  laying  all  the  facts  before 
her. 

Then  her  mother  asked : 

"  Orabelle,  will  you  marry  this  young  man,, 
Claud  Mitchel,  to-night?  " 

A  pause.  Then  laying  one  hand  on  the 
bowed  head  of  Claud,  she  drew  Orabelle  closer 
to  her  side  with  the  other  hand  as  she  asked: 

<4  Won't  you,  dear  daughter,  and  then  receive 
your  mother's  dying  blessing?" 

"  Must  I  marry  him,  mamma?"  she  asked  in 
a  dazed  sort  of  tone. 

"  I  do  not  say  you  must,  dear  child.  But,  if 
you  will  marry  Claud,  I  can  die  happy." 

"  Mamma,  I  would  do  anything  for  your 
happiness,"  she  cried,  "but  this  seems  so 
strange!  Other  girls  do  not  marry  like  this; 


.34  FIRST    WED,    THEN    WON. 

they  have  a  wedding;  lots  of  pretty  new  gowns, 
.and,  oh,  mamma!  I  cannot  marry  so  strangely," 
:she  cried  out,  as  though  in  agony,  then  burst 
into  tears. 

Claud  was  deeply  moved  at  the  sight  of  her 
tears.  He  arose  and  went  to  her  side,  saying 
-soothingly,  as  he  put  his  hand  upon  her  head: 

"  Dear  child,  you  shall  not  if  you  do  not 
think  you  can  to  please  your  mother. ' ' 

"  Mother,"  she  said  after  a  moment's  thought, 
'"would  it  please  you  very  much,  to  have  me 
:marry  him?  "  pointing  to  Claud. 

' '  More  than  I  can  tell  you  now ! ' ' 

' '  Then  I  will.  Yet  I  cannot  be  what  a  bride 
.should  be.  Am  I  ? "  she  asked  as  she  turned 
lier  eyes  in  a  beseeching  look  to  first  one  then 
the  other. 

She  consented  to  their  plans,  yet  more  to 
please  her  mother,  than  because  she  understood 
what  she  was  doing  at  that  time. 

Mrs.  Mitchel1  and  a  minister  were  sent  for 
next. 

Orabelle  went  from  the  room  at  her  mother's 


FIRST   WED,    THEN    WON.  35 

request,  and  dressed  herself  in  her  white  dress; 
then  returned  to  the  death  chamber  and  told 
them  she  was  ready  to  comply  with  her  mother's 
request. 

CHAPTER     III. 

ORABELLE'S    SINGULAR    MARRIAGE. 

*  'Marriage.     It  is  most  genial  to  a  soul  refined, 
When  love  can  smile,  unblushing,  unconcealed, 
When  mutual  thoughts  and  words  and  acts  are  kind. 
And  inmost  hopes  and  feelings  are  revealed, 
When  interest,  duty,  trust,  together  bind, 
And  the  heart's  deep  affections  are  unsealed, 
When  for  each  other  live  the  kindred  pair, — 
Here  indeed  is  a  picture  fair!" 

MRS.  Mitch  el  arrived  at  the  widow's  house 
before  the  minister  and  was  soon  in  pos- 
session of  the  facts  of  this  strange  case.  At 
first  she  seemed  to  think  it  would  be  sacriligious 
because  "True  marriages,"  it  is  said,  "are 
planned  in  heaven."  After  she  thought  the 
subject  over  a  few  moments,  she  said: 

"  If  'the  children  are  willing  to  marry,  I  do 
not  know  that  I  ought  to  object." 

' '  Mother,  we  have  promised  —  you  have 
always  taught  me  that  a  promise  was  sacred. 


36  FIRST    WED,    THEN    WON. 

If  any  promise  is  sacred,  then  this  one  is," 
Claud  said,  solemnly. 

"  True  my  son.  Never  make  a  promise 
unless  you  intend  to  keep  it,  let  it  be  ever  so 
trivial.  Have  you,  dear  children,  thought  of 
this  as  a  life -long  promise,  that  binds  you 
together?  " 

"  I  have,  mother.  Yet,  I  will  keep  it,"  Claud 
said  firmly. 

"  I  do  not  think  I  fully  understand  all  I  have 
heard  to-night,"  said  Orabelle;  "but  this  much 
I  do  know,  if  I  am  a  little  girl,  that  I  can  keep  a 
promise  just  as  well  as  grown  people.  I  have 
promised  my  mother  to  be  Claud's  wife;  and  a 
faithful  one  I  will  prove,"  she  added  almost 
vehemently. ' ' 

"Well  said,  little  one,"  said  Mr.  Mitchel,  for 
he  was  more  than  pleased  with  her  answer,  ' '  I 
believe  you  have  the  right  spirit  after  all." 

She  turned  her  eyes  to  him  with  a  mute 
entreaty  in  them  which  seemed  to  say :  "  I  do. 
not  understand  you,  now." 

After  the  Rev.  Geo.  A.  Bell  arrived  and  gave 


FIRST    WED,    THEN    WON.  37 

his  consent  to  perform  the  wedding  ceremony 
at  such  an  unseasonable  hour — five-thirty  in  the 
morning — Dr.  Groat  was  asked  to  return  and 
witness  the  marriage.  Neither  the  minister 
nor  doctor  knew  the  reason  of  this  singular 
marriage,  only  that  Mrs.  Belmont  wished  to 
see  them  married  before  she  died. 

Claud  and  Orabelle  stood  beside  the  bed  in 
which  lay  her  dying  mother,  and  those  solemn 
words  were  said,  which  made  her  the  child 
bride  of  Claud  Mitchel. 

Orabelle's  mother  kissed  them  and  wished 
them  a  lifetime  of  happiness,  and  called  on  God 
to  bless  them  for  their  noble  sacrifice. 

It  seemed  more  like  a  funeral,  to  those 
present,  than  a  wedding  party. 

The  minister  returned  to  his  home  about  six 
o'clock. 

Dr.  Groat  was  nearly  ready  to  leave  the 
house,  but  had  gone  to  bid  Claud  good-bye 
when  the  widow  called  him  to  her  side.  He 
obeyed  the  call. 

"  Claud,"  said  his  mother  with  a  light  laugh, 


38  FIRST   WED,    THEN   WON. 

as  the  doctor  turned  away,  "you  must  bid 
your  little  wife  good-bye  now,  and  return  to 
our  home.  You  must  be  ready  for  the  seven- 
thirty  train. " 

"Mother,  I  feel  these  are  solemn  vows  I 
have  made  this  morning;  I  pray  God  to  deal 
with  me  in  proportion  as  I  keep  these  vows!  I 
go  back  to  my  studies  to-day.  I  will  work  hard 
to  be  all  that  you  wish  me  to  be.  But,  hark 
you !  I  leave  my  bride — little  wife,  as  you  call 
her — in  your  hands.  Be  good  to  her  for  my 
sake.  She,  indeed,  is  a  child,"  he  said,  as  he 
put  his  hand  on  his  mother's  shoulder;  "may 
this  night's  work  never  come  back  to  you  and 
father  as  a  curse,"  he  added,  and  went  to  the 
side  of  his  bride  who  was  conversing  with  Mr. 
Mitchel. 

"Little  wife,"  said  Claud  half  tenderly,  yet 
more  as  men  address  little  children,  and  reach- 
ing out  his  hand  in  a  friendly  manner,  "  you 
and  I  must  say  good-bye  now.  I  must  leave 
you  on  this,  our  wedding  morn.  I  will  return 
to  my  wife  when  my  ediication  is  finished ;  then 


FIRST    WED,    THEN    WON.  39* 

we  will  try  to  keep  these  solemn  vows  you  and 
I  have  made  this  morning.  Give  me  one  kiss 
to  remind  me  of  the  bride  I  leave  so  soon,"  he 
pleaded. 

' '  You  may  kiss  me, "  she  said  shyly. 

He  took  the  kiss.  Then  in  a  joking  wayr 
said: 

' '  How  many  men  will  I  find  have  kissed  my 
little  wife,  when  I  return  to  her  years  hence?" 

"  You  think  I  am  a  little  girl  and  do  not 
know  what  is  right,  Claud  Mitchel,"  she  cried  r 
as  she  stamped  her  foot  in  her  wrath.  "  Let: 
me  tell  you  now  that  no  man  shall  kiss  my  lips; 
again  with  my  consent,  until  you  return  and 
ask  the  first  kiss  as  my  husband !  Let  me  say 
again,  I  have  not  kissed  you  nor  will  I 
until  that  time  comes,  if  it  be  twenty  years, 
hence! " 

Her  eyes  shone  like  two  stars.  Her  cheeks- 
were  ablaze  with  anger  and  she  looked  ten, 
years  older  at  that  moment. 

"  Mother,  you  hear  that,"  exclaimed  Claud,, 
as  his  mother  came  to  their  side,  ' '  do  you  call: 


40  FIRST    WED,    THEN    WON. 

that  a  child  ?  Look  at  her  eyes,  they  sparkle 
like  diamonds. " 

How  much  more  he  might  have  said  will 
remain  unknown,  for  just  then  Dr.  Groat  called 
them  to  the  bed-side ;  and  they  were  just  in 
time  to  see  the  last  gasp  for  breath  of  the  widow 
Belmont. 

Yes,  this  was  truly  a  death-bed  marriage. 


CHAPTER    IV. 

SEVERAL  CHANGES. 

Therefore,  great  heart,  bear  up!  thou  art  but  type 
Of  what  all  lofty  spirits  endure,  that  fain 
Would   win    men    back  to   strength  and    peace 

through    love ; 

Kach  hath  his  lonely  peak  and  on  each  heart 
Envy,  or  scorn,  or  hatred,  tears  lifelong 
With  vulture  beak  ;  yet  the  high  soul  is  left, 
And  faith,  which  is  but  hope  grown  wise,  and 

love, 
And  patience  which  at  last  shall  overcome. 

LOWELL. 

WHEN  Dr.  Groat  said  Mrs.   Belmont  was 
dead,   Orabelle  fell   across  the  body  of 
her  mother,    sobbed   and  begged  her  to  speak 
once  more  to  her.      She  sank  down  then  as  if 
she  had  swooned. 


FIRST    WED,    THEN  WON.  41 

Claud  begged  her  to  go  with  him,  but  no 
words  of  the  living  seemed  to  reach  her  ears, 
for  she  was  nearly  frantic  with  grief.  Claud 
called  the  doctor,  and  they  raised  her  from  the 
bed  and  carried  her  into  another  room,  placed 
her  in  an  incumbent  position  and  began  flicking 
her  face  with  cold  water.  Then  the  use  of 
aromatic  salts  was  resorted  to,  after  which  she 
slowly  revived  only  to  swoon  again  and  again. 

While  working  over  her,  all  thoughts  of 
going  back  to  school  had  left  Claud  until  he 
heard  the  whistle  of  the  train  he  should  have 
taken. 

"  Mother,  you  hear  that!  "  he  cried,  starting 
up  then  sinking  into  a  near-by  chaii. 

"  Yes,"  she  said,  "you  are  too  late!  " 

"For  this  train,  but  I  must  go  on  the 
next!" 

When  Orabelle  had  partially  revived  the 
doctor  gave  her  a  sleeping  potion,  and  told 
them  it  was  best  or  she  would  have  a  severe 
illness  to  pay  for  this  night's  excitement. 

Mrs.   Mitchel  saw  that  all  was  done  for  the 


42  FIRST    WED,    THEN   WON. 

widow  that  human  hands  could  do;  then  she 
sent  Claud  home  to  rest  all  he  could  before  his 
departure.  She  stayed  with  Orabelle  until 
after  the  funeral.  Then  she  helped  the  young 
girl  gather  all  her  worldly  possessions  together, 
and  remove  them  to  the  home  of  the  Mitchels. 

Some  four  weeks  after  her  entrance  of  her 
husband's  home,  or  the  home  of  the  Mitchels, 
Orabelle  was  reading  her  mother's  journal  and 
came  to  the  address  of  Kate  Grey. 

"There,"  she  said  in  surprise,  "I  had 
forgotten  what  mamma  said!  I  will  write  at 
once. ' ' 

She  found  Mrs.  Mitchel  and  handing  her  the 
book,  said:  "  Mother,  read  mamma's  journal, 
and  then  tell  me  if  I  may  comply  with  her 
spoken  wishes!  Listen,  while  I  tell  you  what 
she  said  to  me  some  time  before  she  died. ' ' 

She  then  repeated  her  mother's  words. 

"  I  think  you  ought  to  write  to  your  aunt," 
Mrs.  Mitchel  said,  after  reading  the  diary. 

The  letter  was  soon  on  its  way  to  Albany. 
Three  weeks  afterwards  a  letter  was  received 


FIRST   WED,    THEN   WON.  43 

by  Mrs.  Mitchel  from  Mrs.  Grey.  That  letter 
was  full  of  bitter  regrets  over  not  forgiving  her 
sister  before  her  death.  The  news  of  Ora- 
belle's  singular  marriage  had  been  the  means 
of  changing  her  opinion. 

She  also  wrote  for  Orabelle  to  come  and  live 
with  her  till  Claud  should  be  ready  to  claim  his 
wife.  Mrs.  Grey  thought  it  would  not  look 
well  for  Orabelle  to  be  educated  by  Claud's 
parents. 

Then,  ' '  Albany  was  a  far  better  place  for 
her  to  attend  school,"  she  wrote. 

The  Mitchels  thought  it  might  be  better  for 
all  if  she  did  go,  though  they  had  learned  to 
love  the  girl  better  in  those  two  months  than 
they  thought  it  possible ;  and  then,  Claud  would 
be  home  in  June. 

They  were  fearful  lest  Claud  should  become 
more  acquainted  with  his  ' '  little  wife  ' '  and 
love  her ;  if  he  should,  then  they  knew  that  he 
would  never  finish  his  education. 

So  Orabelle  changed  her  home  again.  Mr. 
Mitchel  accompanied  her  to  Albany  and  saw 


44  FIRST    WED,    THEN    WON. 

her  safe  in  her  aunt's  care.  When  he  bade  her 
good-bye  he  said : 

"  Orabelle,  won't  you  kiss  me  good-bye?  " 

"  Yes,"  she  said. 

She  smiled  as  he  bent  down  to  kiss  her,  and 
quickly  turned  her  head  so  he  kissed  her  cheek. 

"Why  is  this!  won't  you  kiss  me?"  he 
quickly  asked. 

"Didn't  I  say  that  no  man  should  kiss  my 
lips  until  my  husband  returned  to  me?  "  she 
slowly  asked. 

"Yes,  puss;  but  you  will  forget  that  soon," 
he  answered,  with  a  hearty  laugh,  as  though  he 
thought  it  all  a  joke. 

"  Never!  "  she  almost  screamed. 

"  What  does  this  mean,  Mr.  Mitchel?  "  asked 
Mrs.  Grey. 

"  Ask  her,  she  will  tell  you,"  and  he  laughed 
as  he  said  it,  for  he  still  thought  it  the  whim  of 
a  child. 

After  Mr.  Mitchel  returned  home  he  wrote  to 
Claud,  telling  him  of  the  change  in  Orabelle 's 
residence. 


FIRST   WED,    THEN    WON.  45 

The  next  evening  after  Claud's  return  to 
school,  at  Binghamton,  there  was  a  party  at  the 
home  of  one  of  the  students.  Claud  was  asked 
to  take  a  young  lady  friend  to  this  party. 

"  No,"  said  Claud,  "  I  shall  ask  no  lady  to  go 
with  me. " 

' '  Why !  You  have  asked  Alice  Haynes  to  go 
with  you  before,  why  not  to-night?  "  asked  Bert 
Lent. 

"  I  know,  but  now  it  is  a  different  matter. ' ' 

Lent  gave  a  prolonged  whistle,  then  asked : 

"  What  ails  you,  Claud?  " 

"  Nothing,"  he  said,  almost  petulantly. 

"  Nothing, — yes  there  is  something  the 
trouble!  You  came  back  last  evening,  look- 
ing as  though  you  had  lost  the  best  friend 
you  had  on  earth — ' ' 

"  I  have,  my  mother-in-law,"  he  interrupted 
almost  sarcastically,  while  something  like  a  smile 
curved  his  lips  at  the  other's  apparent  surprise. 

"Your  mother-in-law!  oh!  that's  too  good, 
Claud !  Your  mother ' ' 

"  You  need  not  say  it  again,"  he  interrupted. 


46  FIRST   WED,    THEN    WON. 

' '  Listen !  Yesterday  morning  I  was  married ; 
and  not  two  hours  afterward  my  wife's  mother 
died.  That  was  the  reason  I  did  not  get  here 
until  evening.  Do  not  ask  me  more  now,"  he 
said  as  Lent  started  to  speak,  "  but  let  us  away 
with  the  others.  Come!" 

It  was  not  long  before  his  story  was  partially 
known  among  the  students. 


CHAPTER  V. 

CLAUD  MITCHEL. 

We  see  but  half  the  causes  of  our  deeds, 
****** 

And  heedless  of  the  encircling  spirit-world 
Which,  though  unseen,  is  felt,  and  sows  in  us 
All  germs  of  pure  and  world-wide  purposes. 

We  pass  unconscious  o'er  a  slender  bridge, 
The  momentary  work  of  unseen  hands, 
Which  crumbles  down  behind  us 
****** 

Content  ourselves  to  call  the  builder  Chance. 

LOWELL. 

MOTHER,    I  have  been  so  delighted  with 
home  these  past  three  days,  that  I  had 
forgotten  to  ask  after  my  little  wife;   is  she 


FIRST   AVED,    THEN   WON.  47 

well?  "  asked  Claud  Mitchel  the  next  June  after 
that  singular  wedding  some  six  months  before. 

' '  She  was  well  when  she  wrote  last.  She 
wrote  bidding  me  say  to  you  that  she  had  kept 
her  vow  so  long,  and  should  till  you  came  to 
claim  her,"  his  mother  replied. 

"  I  must  confess,  mother,  that  at  times  I 
cannot  make  it  seem  I  am  a  married  man. " 

And  he  laughed  lightly  as  he  said  it ;  then,  a 
sober  light  came  into  his  eyes,  and  he  added: 

"Her  vow!  Bah!  What  does  that  child 
know  about  a  vow  ?  She  will  forget  it  before 
she  is  eighteen  years  old,  if  she  is  like  most 
womankind — " 

"  Claud,  I  am  ashamed  of  you!  "  his  mother 
interrupted.  ' '  Look  out  that  you  are  not  the 
first  one  to  break  that  marriage  vow,"  his 
mother  gravely  added. 

' '  Never  fear  for  me !  Men  keep  their  vows 
better  than  children,"  he  saucily  yet  bitterly 
cried. 

"Claud,  you  do  not  regret  your  hasty 
marriage  so  soon,  do  you  ? "  she  asked  in 


48  FIRST  WED,   THEN  WON. 

fear  lest  he  had  met  some  woman  he  did 
love. 

"  I  do  not  know  that  I  regret  it,  yet  I  seem 
to  feel  it  was  a  wrong  way  to  treat  that  child — 
a  wrong  to  force  me  to  marry  her,  even  though 
she  was  willing,"  he  said,  a  grave  and  far  away 
look  coming  into  his  eyes. 

' '  You  should  not  say  forced  you  to  marry. 
You,  certainly  did  as  you  wished." 

"Not  "wholly,  mother,"  he  cried;  "  I  could 
but  see  it  was  the  wish  of  all.  You  know  I 
could  not  refuse  to  do  my  father's  bidding,  let 
it  bring  weal  or  woe. " 

"Well!  the  deed  is  done  and  too  late  for 
regrets.  I  only  hope,  my  son,  that  you  may 
never  meet  another  that  you  could  love,  for 
then  your  life  would  be  one  of  misery,  that 
would  cause  you  more  sorrow  than  this  will, 
providing  you  both  shall  love  each  other,  when 
you  come  to  know  each  other  better. ' ' 

"  Mother,  I  make  this  vow,  now,  as  I  kneel 
at  your  feet, "  and  he  threw  himself  down  at  her 
feet  "I  will  guard  against  all  love  with  all 


FIRST   WED,    THEN   WON.  49 

my  strength  of  will  power;  and  I  will  pray  God 
to  give  me  the  strength  to  avoid  all  the  snares 
set  to  catch  this  heart  of  mine !  Will  that  ease 
your  mind  any?  " 

"  Yes,  if  you  can  do  this!  " 

"  Time  will  prove  me  true  or  false,"  he  said, 
slowly  and  with  a  very  solemn  air,  as  he  arose 
and  left  the  room. 

"  I  hope  it  may  be  true,"  she  said  as  the  door 
closed. 

Claud  Mitchel  placed  himself  under  his 
father's  commands  again;  and  did  not  seek 
his  child  wife.  They  deemed  it  best  for  him  to- 
travel  for  a  year,  then  enter  a  university  in 
Germany.  He  complied  with  their  wishes  with 
a  willing  spirit,  yet  deep  in  his  heart  he  thoiight 
it  was  a  wrong  way  to  treat  the  little  wife. 
***** 

In  San  Francisco,  one  fine  evening  in  August, 
sat  some  men  playing  cards  at  the  Laurel 
Hotel.  A  euchre  deck  was  in  their  hands. 
Let  us  glance  at  them  again.  Certainly  we 
know  one  of  them. 


5o  FIRST  WED,    THEN    WON. 

That  young  man,  who  has  just  commenced  to 
shuffle  the  cards,  as  we  came  to  the  group,  is 
our  old  friend  Claud  Mitchel.  This  indeed  is  a 
change.  He  has  learned  to  handle  the  cards 
quite  briskly — like  any  old  gamester.  At  his 
side  stands  a  man  watching  him  sharply,  saying 
not  one  word  to  any  one,  yet  seemingly  quite 
interested  in  the  game.  Shortly  those  players 
began  betting  quite  heavily.  When  the  betting 
began  Mitchel  seemed  inclined  to  quit  the  game 
•and  arose,  then  turned  as  if  ashamed  to  leave 
them  and  reseated  himself,  and  when  the  game 
became  very  exciting  was  the  coolest  of  the 
four.  The  bets  ran  high  until  one  man,  the 
dealer,  staked  ten  thousand  dollars  on  his 
hand. 

Claud  looked  up  at  the  man  who  was  so 
earnestly  watching  him  at  that  moment,  and 
the  man  gave  him  the  wink  to  bid  up.  He 
raised  the  bid;  no  one  covered  it;  and  soon 
Claud  Mitchel  was  the  winner  of  that  glowing 
pile  of  gold. 

Then  the  man  at  his  side  spoke  to  Mitchel. 


FIRST    WED,    THEN    WON.  51 

"Sir,  you  are  wanted;  come  with  me!  "  he 
said  firmly. 

' '  Not  now, "  said  Mitchel,  for  the  fever  of  the 
gambler  was  full  upon  him ;  and  any  gambler — 
not  at  ' '  Monte  Carlo  ' '  can  testify  to  its  wonder- 
ful power. 

"It  must  be  now,"  said  the  stranger,  while 
he  laid  his  hand  on  his  shoulder  and  again  said  : 
"  Come!  " 

Mitchel  reluctantly  arose,  though  years  after- 
wards he  could  give  no  reason  for  his  doing  so, 
and  followed  the  man  from  the  room,  while  the 
curses  of  the  men  at  the  table  followed  them. 
Those  men  had  played  a  losing  game  on 
purpose  to  fleece  the  young  man  out  of  his 
gold; but  the  stranger  understood  their  motives, 
gave  him  time  to  win,  then  led  him  out  of  their 
clutches. 

After  they  were  clear  of  the  place,  the  stran- 
ger said : 

"Young  man,  go  home  with  me,  if  you  have 
nothing  else  to  do,  and  I  will  tell  you  why  I 
called  you  away  from  that  card  table, "  for  he 


52  FIRST  WED,    THEN   WON. 

saw  that  Mitchel  was  not  in  his  proper  element ; 
and  then  he  had  taken  an  unusual  liking  to  the 
young  man. 

' '  I  wish  to  know  why  you  did  that,  so  I  will 
accept  your  invitation.  But  first  tell  me  your 
name — mine  is  Mitchel,  Claud  Mitchel,  from 
York  state." 

"  Mine  is  Ross  Crieg,"  he  said.  "  I  have  my 
horses  here  and  we  will  soon  be  on  our  way 
home,  a  'distance  of  five  miles,"  he  added  as 
they  arrived  at  a  stable,  and  soon  both  were 
seated  behind  two  high  bred  horses,  which 
Mitchel  saw  were  the  pride  of  their  owner. 

"Are  you  seeking  work  or  pleasure?  "  Crieg 
asked  after  they  were  on  their  way. 

* '  Traveling  for  pleasure  is  my  greatest  occu- 
pation at  present, ' '  said  Mitchel  with  a  laugh. 

"  Then,  take  an  old  man's  advice;  and,  don't 
find  pleasure  at  the  card  table  again. ' ' 

* '  Why, ' '  says  Mitchell,  ' '  that  was  fun. ' ' 

"Yes.  But,  if  I  had  not  called  you  away, 
they  would  have  had  all  your  money  in  another 
hour. ' ' 


FIRST   WED,   THEN   WON.  53 

' '  Impossible ! ' '  cried  Mitchel  incredulously. 

' '  They  would, ' '  said  Crieg,  ' '  for  they  are 
professional  gamblers. ' ' 

"  If  you  are  right,  then  how  did  I  win!  "  he 
exclaimed,  half  doubtingly. 

' '  I  saw  the  bait  they  were  holding  out ;  and 
let  you  play  till  I  knew  they  were  ready  to  turn 
your  luck,  then  I — you  know,  you  came  with 
me,"  he  said,  with  a  rougish  smile. 

The  scenery  took  up  their  attention  then 
until  they  arrived  at  Grieg's  house,  about  two 
'o'clock  that  bright  moonlight  morning. 

The  next  day  Crieg  and  Mitchell  rode  through 
the  former's  vineyards  and  orange  grove;  and 
Mitchel  saw  much  that  interested  him. 

"  Why,  if  you  will  pardon  me  for  being  so 
inquisitive,  did  you  have  your  house  built  on 
yonder  pile  of  rocks,  when  you  have  such  a 
beautiful  place  here  below?"  asked  Mitchel, 
after  they  were  nearly  ready  to  ascend  to  the 
house. 

"I  like  the  ledge  best,  for  sanitary  reasons ; 
also  for  the  better  view  of  the  surrounding 


54  FIRST    WED,    THEN    WON. 

country, ' '  answered  Crieg  with  a  smile.  '  'An  old 
man  like  me, ' '  he  continued,  ' '  with  no  female 
around  him  but  an  old  negress  housekeeper, 
cares  not  for  the  opinion  of  any  one  but  himself. 
I  call  my  home  Grieg's  Nest.  I  think  you 
cannot  find  a  lovelier  *  Nest '  in  California. ' ' 

"  Lovely  enough  for  a  queen,  Crieg,  but 
where  is  she  ? "  he  asked  in  a  bantering  tone, 
yet  half  .fearful  that  he  had  taken  too  much 
liberty. 

"Dead,"  sighed  Crieg.  "I  shall  never 
marry,  boy,  but  you  are  young — you  will  some 
day.  What's  the  matter  now?"  and  he  looked 
so  sharply  at  Mitchel  that  he  replied : 

"  Crieg,  I  am  already  married." 

He  said  it  in  such  a  wo-begone  style  that  the 
man  laughed  loud  and  long. 

"You  married!"  he  cried,  when  he  could 
control  his  risibilities  long  enough  to  speak; 
"  Why,  you  are  nothing  but  a  boy!" 

"I  know  it;  but,  a  married  man  all  the 
same, ' '  he  said,  trying  to  bring  a  smile  to  his 
face,  but  failed. 


FIRST    WED,    THEN    WON.  55 

"Now,  I  will  be  the  inquisitive  one.  Will 
you  tell  me  what  you  meant  ?  You  certainly 
were  joking." 

' '  I  was  not.  I  was  eighteen  last  Christmas 
and  married  that  day,  or  rather  the  next 
morning  between  five  and  six " 

"Ah,  I  see!  a  runaway  match,  and  repenting 
at  leisure . ' ' 

' '  Stop ! ' '  cried  Mitchel  hoarsely.  ' '  I  will 
tell  you  my  story. ' ' 

4 '  You  say,  you  have  not  seen  your  wife  since 
a  few  hours  after  she  became  your  bride, ' '  said 
Crieg,  rather^  impatiently,  when  Claud  had 
finished  his  story. 

' '  That  is  what  I  said.  I  told  you  the  reason 
for  it. ' ' 

"  Certainly;  but,  you  forgot  one  thing — the 
most  essential  part  to  me — the  name  of  the 
bride, ' '  he  said  jokingly,  not  thinking  of  any 
interest  to  himself,  only  to  make  Claud  talk. 

"  I  did  not  think  it  would  interest  you,  a 
stranger.  Her  name  was  Orabelle  Belmont.  " 

Crieg  looked  at  him  a  moment  as  though  he 


56  FIRST    WED,    THEN    WON. 

thought  Mitchel  a  lunatic ;  then  he  asked  in  a 
dry,  husky  voice,  the  name  of  the  girl's  mother. 

' '  Lillie  Belmont, ' '  answered  Mitchel. 

Crieg  stared  at  him,  opened  his  lips  as  though 
to  speak,  shut  them  together  again  and  groaned. 

"That  is  a  strange  action  in  a  stranger," 
thought  Claud. 

"  Crieg,"  said  Claud,  "  you  surely  could  not 
have  known  her.  What  is  the  matter?  Have 
you  ever 'been  east?" 

"Have  I  ever  been  east!  Boy,  you  know 
not  what  you  ask  or  who  you  are  talking  to. 
That  Lillie  you  named  was  my  sister. ' ' 

"Your  sister!"  Mitchel  fairly  shouted, 
"Then,  ye  gods  and  little  fishes " 

"  Hush!  give  me  your  hand,  my  boy,  and 
shake  your  old  Uncle!  Yes,  I  am  your  Uncle. 
You  need  not  look  so  thunderstruck. ' ' 

"Why,  I  cannot  believe  it,"  exclaimed 
Mitchel. 

' '  You  will  have  to.  Come  with  me  and  I 
will  show  you  a  picture  of  both  my  sisters. 
You  will  recognize  Lillie,  I  think,  although  this 


FIRST    WED,    THEN  WON.  57 

was  taken  before  the  war,"  he  said,  when  he 
placed  the  picture  before  his  guest,  after  they 
arrived  at  the  house. 

"Your  sister!  'tis  a  perfect  picture  of  my — 
little  wife,"  he  said,  some  tenderness  sounding 
in  his  voice,  "yet  not  a  bit  like  her  mother, " 
he  added. 

Crieg  would  not  hear  of  Mitchel's  leaving  for 
many  weeks.  But,  as  the  cold  weather  ad- 
vanced in  the  east,  Mitchel  left  for  home  to 
prepare  for  a  foreign  tour.  His  prolonged  stay 
with  Crieg,  had  prohibited  him  from  traveling 
as  much  as  he  intended  doing  when  he  left  his 
father's  house. 

Crieg  advised  him  to  keep  his  promise  and 
finish  his  studies  before  claiming  his  child  bride. 

Before  leaving  Crieg's  Nest,  Mitchell  placed 
the  money  he  had  won  at  the  card  table,  in  the 
hands  of  Crieg,  to  invest  in  real  estate,  to  be 
given  to  Orabelle  on  her  eighteenth  birthday, 
if  Claud  did  not  return  before  that  time. 

"Not  one  word,"  he  said  to  Crieg,  "must 
she  know  of  this  until  that  day." 


58  FIRST   WED,    THEN    WON. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

CLAUD  AND  HIS  TRAVELS. 

How   looks   "Grieg's   Nest"   of  the   "Golden 

Gate  ?  " 

Listen,  and  I  will  try  and  relate. 
I  have  seen  it  when  the  gale  was  most  terrific 
Along  the  shore  of  the  grand  Pacific  ; 
When,  seemingly,  surge  after  surge  of  white  cap 

foam 

Went  rolling  close  to  the  rocky  dome 
Of  the  "  Nest,"  whose  rock  points  pierce  below, 
And  are  lifted  and  lifted  and  then  let  go 
By  an  avalanche  of  thunder,  a  blinding  deafening 

ire, 

To  where  they  are  warmed  with  a  central  fire. 
You  could  feel  its  granite  fibres  crack, 
As  if  it  were  ground  by  a  cataract  ; 
And  it  seemed  to  plunge  with  a  shudder  and  thrill 
Right  at  the  breast  of  that  swooping  hill, 
Till  the  monster's  arms  of  a  sudden  drop 
From  "  Crieg's  Nest's"  rocky  tower  top, 
Silently  down  into  the  sea. 

MARIE. 

SOME   days  after  Claud's  return  from  Cali- 
fornia, his  mother  asked  him  to  tell  her  of 
his  travels  and  all  the  events  which  he  thought 
would  interest  her.      He  had  little  to  tell  of  his 
journey  until  he  reached  San  Francisco.       He 


FIRST   WED,    THEN    WON.  59 

told  her  how  he  came  to  get  into  bad  company, 
and  how  a  Mr.  Crieg  saved  him  from  becoming 
a  gambler;  but  of  the  money  he  won  and  the 
disposal  thereof,  he  kept  silent. 

He  had  said  to  Crieg:  "  Time  enough  for  my 
parents  to  know  of  my  sin  when  I  am  past 
minorship ;  and  then  I  hope  to  prove  it  only  a 
youthful  folly.  It  would  only  worry  mother 
when  I  go  away  again,  and  so  I  think  it  best  if 
they  do  not  know  of  this  escapade. ' ' 

"  I  will  tell  you  a  little  of  what  I  saw  at 
Crieg's  Nest,"  he  said.  "First  I  will  tell  of 
his  home  and  his  vineyards.  His  house  was 
situated  on  the  top  of  a  ledge  of  rocks,  about 
one  hundred  feet  above  the  level  of  the  rest  of 
his  plantation,  on  one  side — that  is,  nearly  all 
his  land  lay  below  him — like  an  observatory, 
overlooking  all  his  wealth.  On  the  other  side 
the  ledge  extended  far  away  to  the  sandy  beach 
of  the  Pacific  Ocean.  I  could  sit  on  his  veranda 
and  see,  like  a  panorama  before  my  eyes,  his 
vineyards,  spreading  out  almost  as  far  as  the 
natural  eye  can  see.  His  houses — mother,  it 


60  FIRST    WED,    THEN    WON. 

looked  like  a  small  village  in  the  distance,  to 
see  his  workmen's  homes  and  the  buildings 
needed  to  complete  his  manufactory  for  form- 
ing grapes  into  wine  and  raisins.  These  houses 
are  not  such  grand  affairs  as  we  have  here, 
because  it  would  be  unnecessary.  Mother,  just 
think  of  it,  there  they  stack  their  hay  and  leave 
it  in  the  fields  until  wanted.  The  grain  they 
generally  leave  in  the  fields  until  threshed. ' ' 

' '  Crieg  said  they  had  but  two  seasons  there, 
and  they  called  them  the  wet  and  the  dry 
seasons.  About  the  middle  of  October  begins 
the  wet  season  and  it  ends  about  April  or  May. 
Therefore,  from  September  to  May  is  their 
time  for  putting  in  seed.  He  told  me  that  one 
man  with  a  two  horse  team  could  put  in  from 
two  to  three  hundred  acres  during  seed  time. 
Mother,  if  we  could  farm  it  that  way  here, 
every  one  would  become  rich." 

' '  Yes,  if  our  cold  climate  would  only  allow 
us  such  a  seed  time  and  harvest. ' ' 

"Oh,  it  would  not!  California  is  a  complete 
summer  land !  Mother,  you  are  an  enthusias- 


FIRST    WED,    THEN    WON.  61 

tic  lover  of  strawberries.  Now  just  think  of 
raising  them  every  month  in  the  year.  Would 
you  like  such  a  summer  all  the  year  round?" 

"  That  seems  strange,"  she  mused. 

"It  is  the  truth,  mother.  But  we  are  wan- 
dering from  Grieg's  Nest  a  little.  Mr.  Crieg 
had  one  hundred  acres  in  grapes.  He  has  them 
made  up  in  wine  and  raisins.  He  has  his  own 
presses,  his  men  to  prepare  his  raisins ;  and  all 
these  families  live  on  his  plantation,  for  the 
most  of  the  men  are  married.  He  claims  his 
vineyards  cost  him  at  the  rate  of  $125.00  per 
acre ;  and  now  they  annually  yield  him  about  ten 
tons  of  grapes,  which  find  a  ready  sale  at  $20.00 
per  ton.  His  orange  grove  was  small.  He 
said  he  was  experimenting  with  them.  He  had 
but  five  acres  and  about  four  hundred  and  fifty 
trees.  I  can  say  the  oranges  were  the  most 
delicious  that  I  ever  put  in  my  mouth,"  and  he 
smacked  his  lips  as  though  he  could  taste  them 
yet,  while  she  cried : 

"  You  have  not  said  one  word  about  flowers!" 

4 'Flowers!      Your  English  ivy  there  by  the 


62  FIRST  WED,   THEN  WON. 

window  would  grow  out  of  doors  all  the  year 
round  there.  I  cannot  tell  you  how  beautiful 
the  flowers  were,  but  like  our  summer  gardens 
is  the  best  I  can  explain,  for  our  most  costly 
and  rarest  green-house  flowers  I  saw  growing 
there  out  of  doors,  and  they  seemed  to  give 
them  but  little  care. ' ' 

"  Mother,  I  have  told  you  of  Mr.  Crieg,  and 
now  I  want  you  to  let  your  mind  wander  back- 
wards and  tell  me  if  you  ever  knew  anyone  else 
by  that  name?  " 

' '  Yes,  I  once  knew  a  girl  by  that  name. ' ' 

He  tried  not  to  smile  as  he  asked :  ' '  Where 
did  she  live?  "  but  the  smile  would  break  forth. 

"  You  ought  to  remember  your  mother-in, 
law's  name.  Surely  you  knew,"  his  mother 
replied. 

"  Did  she  have  any  brothers  and  sisters?  "  he 
asked,  ignoring  his  mother's  reply. 

' '  She  had  a  sister  who  married  George  Grey. 
She  is  a  widow  now  and  lives  in  Albany. 
You  know  I  told  you  Orabelle  was  with  her 
aunt,  Kate  Grey. " 


FIRST   WED,    THEN   WON.  63 

"I  knew  that,"  he  said  impatiently,  "but 
had  Mrs.  Belmont  brothers?  " 

"  Yes,  one." 

"  What  became  of  him?  " 

"  I  do  not  know,  he " 

"Mother!"  he  cried  excitedly,  not  waiting 
for  her  to  finish  her  sentence,  ' '  his  name  is 
Ross  Crieg.  He  lives  in  California,  and  I  have 
been  living  with  my  uncle  for  nearly  four 
months.  There,  isn't  that  a  fairy  tale? " 

"Claud,  you  are  jesting,"  she  said  with  a 
doubtful  air. 

"  No,  no!  "  He  shook  his  head  but  his  eyes 
twinkled  mischievously.  "  He  had  pictures 
and  papers  which  proved  to  me  he  was  Ora- 
belle's  uncle,"  added  Claud. 

"  Did  you  tell  him  the  stor — "  She  stopped 
and  stared  at  Claud. 

He  waited  a  moment  and  as  she  did  not  say 
any  more,  he  said :  "If  you  mean  the  story  of 
my  marriage  with  his  niece,  I  did  tell  him  all. ' ' 

"  Did  he  approve  of  it? " 

"Mother,  could  you  expect  him  to?  " 


64  FIRST   WED,    THEN    WON. 

His  mother  was  silent.  His  marriage  was  a 
topic  she  did  not  like  to  speak  of.  Sometimes 
she  wished  it  had  never  been. 

"Well,"  continued  Claud,  "I  cannot  say  he 
approved  of  the  marriage,  but  he  advised  me  to 
finish  my  studies  before  I  saw  her  again,  just  as 
my  father  wishes  me  to  do. ' ' 

"Did  he?" 

She  is. fearful  her  son  is  telling  her  an 
untruth,  but  a  look  into  his  eyes  convinces  her 
he  is  speaking  truthfully. 

"  He  did,  and  I  promised  him  I  would  do  as 
my  father  bade  me.  Now,  mother,  I  shall  be 
away.  I  shall  be  with  you  until  after  New 
Year's,  then  leave  for  Germany.  You  know  I 
want  to  go  to  the  south  of  France  and  to  Italy 
before  I  commence  my  studies  again." 

"  You  want  to  go  and  we  want  you  to  go,  but 
have  you  thought  how  long  you  will  be  absent 
and  how  lonely  we  shall  be  with  you  gone?  " 

"Father  thinks  I  will  have  to  take  a  four 
years'  course,  but  I  think  you  will  see  me  back 
home  in  three  years." 


FIRST    WED,    THEN    WON.  65-, 

The    twenty-third    day    of    January     Claud 
embarked  for  Europe.'     His  father  had  planned 
which  way  they  should  go  to  New  York,  and  of 
course  it  was  not  by  way  of  Albany.      There 
lived  the  wife  of  his  son,  and  if  they  went  so  • 
near,  he  was  fearful  lest  Claud  should  insist  on 
seeing  his   child  wife  again,    so   he  chose  the ; 
route   which   took   them   over  the  Erie  R.   R. 
The  weather  was  unusually  fine,  so  that  Claud 
had  a  pleasant  voyage  over  the  briny  deep. 

He  had  arrived  at  Paris  before  he  sat  down  to> 
write  a  letter  to  his  anxious  mother.  He  told'1 
her  how  he  had  visited  the  home  of  the  Hugos.,, 
while  in  a  later  letter  he  wrote  that  ' '  Night. 
Scenes  in  Paris  "  as  descriptions  of  the  city,  did 
not  lie  one  bit.  He  found  nearly  everything  as. 
described  therein. 

"But,  mother,"  he  wrote  one  day  when  he 
had  been  absent  nearly  a  year,  "I  feel  as 
though  I  must  come  home  to  my  wife.  You 
write  me  no  word  concerning  her,  yet  I  have 
thought  of  her  almost  constantly;  and  I  am 
beginning  to  love  that  little  pale  faced  girl  who, 


66  FIRST   WED,    THEN    WON. 

became  my  wife  so  long  ago.  I  am  older  now, 
and  I  think  I  have  wronged  that  child  very 
much.  I  intend  to  finish  my  studies  by  another 
June  and  come  home  to  claim  my  waiting  bride. 
You  may  tell  her  so  when  you  write  to  her. 
Mother,  please  send  me  her  picture !  I  do  not 
know  why  I  ask  it,  only  I  feel  that  I  cannot 
stay  here  without  a  picture  of  my  little  wife." 

This  letter  caused  his  parents  much  concern. 
His  father  wrote  him  that  if  he  came  before  he 
had  fully  completed  his  course,  he  should  be 
very  much  displeased  with  him.  If  he  came 
before  Orabelle  finished  her  education,  then 
both  their  lives  would  be  a  failure. 

Claud  had  told  his  story  to  his  chum  at  the 
university.  This  young  man  had  said :  ' '  No 
father  would  have  kept  me  fiom  seeing  my  wife 
and  bidding  her  good-bye!  Why,  -you  might 
have  loved  her  dearly  if  you  had  seen  her  again. 
One  year,  sometimes,  makes  a  little  girl  a 
woman.  A  lovely  woman,  too,  may  have  been 
a  plain  child. ' ' 

Claud  felt  ashamed  of  his  conduct.     It  began 


FIRST    WED,    THEN    WON.  67 

to  look  so  different  when  Dr.  Glynn  talked  to 
him  so  strongly. 

"Why,"  said  Glynn,  "did  you  marry  that 
child,  if  you  were  going  to  leave  her  so  soon? 
Think  of  her  position — a  wife  and  yet  not  a 
wife.  What  must  be  her  thoughts  of  you? 
You  say  you  left  and  then  refrained  from 
corresponding  with  her.  Why  was  this?" 

"  My  father  requested  me  not  to  write " 

"  Bah!  "  Had  you  no  mind?  "  he  interrup- 
ted in  a  disgusted  tone. 

"  You  take  me  for  an  idiot,  do  you?  "  angrily 
asked  Claud,  as  he  sprang  quickly  to  the  other's 
side. 

"  Claud,  you  do  not  understand  me,"  he  said 
with  a  peculiar  smile.  ' '  Sit  down !  I  wish 
you  could  see  your  conduct  in  the  way  it  looks 
to  me.  You  and  your  parents  have  broken  one 
of  the  most  sacred  commands  of  the  bible." 

"That  is  pretty  strong  language  to  me, 
doctor.  I  would  knock  any  other  man  down 
if  he  should  say  that  to  my  face. ' ' 

* '  Have  you  not  read  many  times  that  com- 


68  FIRST    WED,    THEN    WON. 

mand,  '  What,  therefore,  God  hath  joined 
together,  let  no  man  put  asunder '  ? " 

"Oh,  yes,"  he  answered  in  a  relieved  tone, 
' '  but  we  have  not  broken  it. ' ' 

"I  say  you  have,  in  a  measure.  But  come, 
we  must  not  quarrel.  Go  home  and  atone  for 
nearly  two  years  of  neglect. 

"  No,  I  have  given  my  word  to  my  father, 
and "* 

"  You  will  abide  by  it  even  should  your  life 
be  one  of  misery;  and  her's  tbo, " 

''Stop!  " 

Claud  was  so  angry  that  he  could  hardly 
restrain  his  fighting  propensities.  The  oth'er 
laughed  at  him  a  moment,  then  turned  and  left 
the  room. 

This  conversation  took  place  one  Sunday  in 
November,  the  first  year  of  Claud's  university 
days. 


FIRST    WED,    THEN    WON.  69 


CHAPTER  VII. 

A  CLOUD  NO  LARGER  THAN  A  MAN'S  HAND. 

"  Will  gold  bring  back  his  cheerful  voice, 
That  used  to  win  my  heart  from  sorrow  ? 

Will  silver  warm  the  frozen  blood, 

Or  make  my  heart  less  lone  to-morrow  ?  " 

MONA'S  WATERS. 

LET  us  look  backward  a  moment  at  those 
three  men  we  left  in  the  Laurel  Hotel, 
San  Francisco,  and  listen  to  their  conversation. 
For  a  time  angry  exclamations,  curses  and 
oaths  were  all  they  could  utter.  Then  Baylis 
the  dealer,  who  lost  the  money,  arose,  threw 
down  his  cards  with  a  spiteful  action,  and  said 
to  Charles  Hill,  with  a  horrid  oath :  "  I'll  have 
revenge  on  Crieg  yet,  for  leading  that  tender- 
foot away  from  us!  " 

"He  is  too  rich  for  you  to  swear  revenge 
against,"  said  Hill.  "  What  can  you  do?  You 
cannot  get  our  money  back. " 

"  I  do  not  expect  to  gain  the  money,  but  in 
some  way,  some  time,  be  it  ten  years  hence,  I 
will  make  that  man  suffer!  "  he  hissed. 


70  FIRST    WED,    THEN   WON. 

"  You  best  let  that  job  out,  Baylis,"  said  Lee 
Haywood,  who  completed  the  trio. 

' '  By  the I  will  have  my  revenge  I  tell 

you,  if  I  work  ten  years  (hie)  to  consummate 
my  task.  I  can't  say  what  it  shall  be,  but 
revenge  I  will  have,"  he  hissed  through  his 
teeth. 

"  I  am  mad  (hie)  as  you  are,  and  if  you  want 
my  help  *in  (hie)  your  dirty  work  (hie)  let  me 
know,"  said  Hill. 

"  If  I  can  work  out  my  revenge  alone,  I  shall 
not  call  on  (hie)  you,  you  d dirty  black- 
guard of  a " 

He  said  no  more,  for  the  fist  of  Hill  landed 
on  his  jaw,  felling  him  to  the  floor.  The  three 
were  a  little  the  worse  for  liquor,  and  therefore 
a  brawl  was  the  result.  The  proprietor,  after 
a  short  time,  succeeded  in  quelling  the  distur- 
bance. Baylis  being  the  worst  of  the  three r 
was  placed  in  a  bed  to  sleep  off  the  effects  of 
his  debauch. 

Baylis  was  a  tall,  slim  fellow,  with  light 
brown  hair,  that  hung  in  little  ringlets  in  spite 


FIRST   WED,    THEN   WON.  71 

of  comb  or  brush.  When  he  was  in  New  York 
he  was  a  flashily  dressed  young  man,  whom 
every  flighty  young  girl  fell  in  love  with,  pro- 
viding he  was  in  the  mood  for  a  flirtation  and 
tried  to  gain  their  love.  It  almost  seemed  as 
though  no  one  could  resist  his  overtures  of 
friendship,  for  man,  woman  or  child  who  came 
in  contact  with  him,  loved  William  Baylis;  for 
he  was  oily  tongued,  friendly  mannered  and 
gentlemanly  in  appearance.  Thus  it  was,  that 
no  one  in  the  social  realm  would  have  taken 
him  for  a  gambler  and  a  rogue.  But  in  the 
abode  of  the  gambler,  he  was  a  different  man. 
By  some  persons  liquor  was  thought  to  make 
the  difference.  Sullen,  morose,  revengeful  if 
crossed,  using  the  weapons  nearest  at  hand  if 
he  thought  his  honor  was  questioned,  yet  he 
had  never  committed  murder. 

Honor  among  gamblers  is  said  to  be  like 
honor  among  thieves. 

Haywood  was  a  complete  picture  of  the  char- 
acter "George  Harris"  in  "Uncle  Tom's 
Cabin. ' ' 


72  FIRST    WED,    THEN    WON. 

Hill  would  be  a  first  class  character  for 
"  Legree. "  He  had  just  that  look  and  action 
when  walking,  that  would  cause  one  who  had 
seen  the  play  of  "  Uncle  Tom's  Cabin  "  to 
exclaim:  <l  There  goes  Legree!  " 

After  these  three  became  sober,  they  looked 
for  "pastures  new  and  rich  with  verdure,"  and 
found  another  '« tenderfoot  "  as  they  called  him, 
.and  played  the  same  game  on  him  that  they 
tried  to  play  on  Claud  Mitchel.  This  time  no 
Ross  Crieg  stood  by  to  save  their  victim,  and 
.they  won  the  pile. 

"  Now,"  said  Baylis  the  next  day,  "  I'm  for 
east.  My  sister  has  written  me  to  come  home, 
and  I  believe  I'll  go." 

"  I  wrould  like  to  go  east  once  more,"  said 
Hay  wood. 

"Well,  go  with  me.  I  can  show  you  some 
sights  there,  I  guess."  • 

"I'll  think  of  it.  When  do  you  go?  "  asked 
Hay  wood. 

"Oh,  to-day  is  Friday?  "  asked  Baylis. 

"  Yes,"  answered  Haywood  and  Hill. 


FIRST    WED,    THEN    WON.  73 

"  Then  I  think  I'll  start  about  next  Wednes- 
day." 

"  I'll  be  with  you,"  said  Haywood. 

"  Hill,"  cried  Baylis,  "  what  in  h makes 

you  so  glum?  Look  at  him.  Hay — 

"  It's  none  of  your  d biz!  "  ejaculated 

Hill.  "Just  you  two  shake  me  if  you  dare," 
and  he  shook  his  fist  under  Baylis'  nose. 

"  Who's  talking  of  shaking  you?  I  can  shake 
you  in  a  hurry  if  you  want  it,"  and  he  began  to 
divest  himself  of  his  coat,  ready  for  a  fight. 

"  Baylis,  don't  be  a  fool,"  said  Haywood. 

Baylis  turned  to  Haywood  with  an  evil  light 
in  his  eye,  but  changed  his  mind  and  said: 
4 '  Come,  have  a  drink  and  another  game,  then 

we  will  be  all  right." 

***** 

The  next  time  Baylis  comes  to  our  view,  he  is 
walking  down  Broadway,  New  York,  one  fine 
moonlight  evening  in  October,  talking  earnestly 
with  another  man.  Would  you  know  that 
swell?  No,  you  would  not  think  it  possible, 
yet  that  is  William  Baylis.  He  has  been  home 


74  FIRST  WED,    THEN    WON. 

but  a  short  time,  yet  he  is  planning  a  scheme 
with  his  companion,  Lee  Haywood,  how  to  get 
a  large  sum  of  money  into  their  control. 

Hill,  their  confederate,  has  written  them  of 
Grieg's  purchase  of  a  tract  of  land,  and  of  his 
wanting  an  overseer. 

Baylis  thought  this  a  fine  chance  to  commence 
working  out  his  revenge,  so  wrote  to  Hill  to 
make  application,  through  some  one  else,  for 
the  position  for  Haywood.  He  thought  if  one 
of  the  trio  could  get  it,  that  in  time  they  could 
pocket  part  of  the  funds.  But  a  better  revenge 
was  almost  under  his  eyes,  yet  he  saw  it  not, 
for  it  was  only  a  mist  like  a  veil  that  hung 
between  him  and  his  revenge. 

Haywood  secured  the  position  and  left  for  the 
land  of  gold,  but  not  till  after  he  had  fallen  in 
love  with  Baylis's  sister  Lucy.  This  did  not 
please  Baylis,  for  he  loved  his  sister,  and 
thought  the  •  life  his  friend  lived  would  never 
make  him  a  good  husband.  He  thought  it  was 
a  blessing  when  Haywood  returned  to  the  west. 

Lucy  Baylis  was  fair.       She  had  blue   eyesy 


FIRST    WED,    THEN   WON.  75 

brown  hair  that  lay  in  pretty  waves,  natural 
curls  on  her  high  forehead.  She  was  a  bright, 
intellectual  young  lady.  She  had  one  of  the 
loveliest  dispositions  a  maid  ever  possessed. 

She  loved  her  brother  dearly,  for  to  her  he 
was  good  and' kind,  and  when  her  friend  Jennie 
North  came  to  visit  her,  about  the  time  her 
brother  came  home  that  fall,  she  said  to  herself : 

' '  I  wish  those  two  might  love  each  other.  I 
will  not  try  to  make  them,  but  I  hope  they  will 
grant  my  wish." 

She  was  thinking  this  when  her  brother  came 
into  the  room. 

' '  Well  puss,  what  solemn  problem  are  you 
trying  to  solve  now? ' '  he  asked,  as  he  noticed  the 
knitted  brow  and  puzzled  expression  on  her  face. 

She  turned  to  meet  him  and  a  merry  look 
came  into  her  eyes  as  she  wound  her  arm 
around  his  neck  and  put  up  her  face  for  a 
kiss.  After  receiving  his  salutation  she  said: 

"  Will,  am  I  ever  to  have  a  brother's  wife?  " 

' '  Lucy !  I  will  answer  you  by  asking  when  I 
am  to  have  a  brother?" 


7 6  FIRST    WED,    THEN    WON. 

"  Hush !  I  have  never  seen  the  man  yet  that 
I  could  call  my  lord  and  master. ' ' 

"  Hush,  sister!  "  he  exclaimed,  laughing  at 
her  indignant  look. 

"  No,  Will,  I  have  no  wish  to  marry.  The 
men  profess  to  love  the  lady,  marry  her,  then 
where  is  their  love  is  gone?  "  she  said  firmly,  yet 
half  mockingly. 

"  I  have  never  seen  a  woman  yet  that  I 
wanted  to  marry,"  he  slowly  said,  as  he  turned 
to  the  window  and  gazed  into  the  street. 

"  Will,  you  talk  finely.  How  about  those 
many  love  affairs  here  and  the  ones  you  have 
written  about?  " 

' '  Lucy,  those  were  not  love  but  flirtations.  I 
never  saw  my  ideal  yet. ' ' 

"  When  you  see  her,  let  me  know,"  she  said, 
and  hurried  from  the  room. 

***** 

"  lyucy  Baylis,  where  are  you?  "  called  Jennie 
North  at  the  door  of  a  sleeping  apartment  on 
the  third  floor  of  a  brown  stone  house,  the 
Baylis'  mansion  on  Fifth  avenue,  New  York, 


FIRST    WED,    THEN   WON.  77 

about  two  months  after  the  return  of  Lucy's 
brother. 

"I  am  here,"  she  answered,  "  come  in.  I 
guess  you  can  see  to  find  a  chair." 

"  Lucy,  I  have  come  to  tell  you  that  I  must 
go  home  next  week  Tuesday,"  said  Miss  North, 
as  soon  as  she  was  seated. 

"  Oh,  no,  not  before  New  Year's." 

"  Yes!  I  am  to  be  married  on  New  Year's 
day. ' ' 

"Married!     To  whom?  " 

"  His  name  is  William  Baylis,  you "  and 

she  broke  into  a  merry  laugh. 

"  Oh,  Jennie,  I  am  so  glad!  I  did  wish  for 
this  so  much, ' '  she  said  in  a  happy  voice. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

THE  CHILD  WIFE. 

' '  For  who,  to  dumb  forgetf ulness  a  prey, 

This  pleasing,  anxious  being  e'er  resigned, 
Left  the  warm  precincts  of  the  cheerful  day, 


M 


Nor  cast  one  longing,  lingering  look  behind?" 
RS.  Grey  found  her  niece  a  very  peculiar 
child  when  she  had  become  acquainted 


78  FIRST    WED,    THEN    WON. 

with  her.  A  girl  of  fourteen  and  about  four 
feet  tall ;  lovely  chestnut  brown  hair,  that  hung 
below  her  waist  when  unbraided ;  brown  eyes, 
rather  large,  but  bright  and  flashing.  "  Not 
pretty, ' '  as  nearly  every  one  said  in  those  days. 
Her  cheeks  were  very  pale,  except  in  the 
center  of  each,  a  bright  red  spot.  A  very 
pretty  mouth  and  rosy  lips  redeemed  the  plain- 
ness of  the  face  or  she  would  have  been  called 
homely. 

Mrs.  Grey  said  many  times  that  she  did  not 
see  where  Orabelle  got  her  plain  looks  from,  or 
her  retiring  disposition. 

A  more  bashful  girl  would  be  hard  to  find. 
At  school,  she  seldom  mixed  in  the  girlish 
sports  of  the  pupils.  She  paid  strict  attention 
to  every  study,  and  at  the  end  of  six  months 
stood  at  the  head  of  her  class. 

At  the  age  of  fifteen,  she  had  advanced  so 
rapidly  that  she  was  in  the  classes  of  those 
older  than  herself  by  some  four  and  five  years. 
Professor  Norton  remonstrated  with  her  for 
doing  so  much  school  work  in  one  year. 


FIRST    WED,    THEN    WON.  79 

' '  But, ' '  said  she  with  a  very  serious  air  and  a 
pretty  smile,  ' '  I  must  get  through  with  my 
books  and  music  in  five  years." 

' '  There  is  no  must  about  it,"  he  said. 

"Yes  there  is,  Mr.'  Norton.  You  know  I 
must  be  fit  to  grace  the  home  of  a  wealthy  man 
when  I  am  twenty, ' '  she  said,  and  to  him  a 
peculiar  smile  passed  her  lips  while  he  laughed 
at  her. 

Mrs.  Grey  had  requested  Orabelle  to  keep  her 
marriage  a  secret  until  her  husband  came  to 
claim  her.  She  thought  it  would  be  for  the 
best  as  Orabelle  was  to  attend  school.  She 
was  known  as  Orabelle  Mitchel,  for  child  as 
she  was,  she  would  be  called  by  her  husband's 
name.  Many  a  young  man  tried  to  gain  her 
friendship,  but  she  would  not  accept  the  friend- 
ship of  any.  When  her  aunt  scolded  her  for 
being  so  foolish,  she  looked  at  the  woman  very 
much  surprised  and  said : 

' '  You  call  me  foolish  when  I  refuse  the  com- 
pany of  men.  Your  advice  now  is  somewhat 
different  from  a  year  ago.  Then  you  said  I 


8o  FIRST  WED,   THEN  WON. 

must  do  all  in  my  power  to  be  a  true  wife,  even 
though  I  was  supposed  to  be  a  young  girl. ' ' 

"Wife,"  she  sneered,  "I  would  not  call 
myself  a  wife  if  I  were  you !  If  you  are  a  wife , 
where  is  your  husband?  " 

' '  Auntie ,  you  are  cruel !  You  call  me  a  child 
— I  am  fifteen  you  know,"  and  she  drew  herself 
up  straight  with  a  very  proud  air. 

"  That  is  aged,  I  am  sure,"  her  aunt  sneered. 
"  You  are  nothing  but  a  child  in  looks  or  stat- 
ure. Oh,  why  did  my  sister  cause  this  terrible 
curse  to  fall  on  you?  "  and  she  wrung  her  hands 
in  agony. 

"Curse!  Auntie,  'tis  no  curse.  I  was  a 
little  girl  one  year  ago;  to-night  I  feel  I  am  a 
woman,  and  one  who  will  yet  prove  to  you 
that  she  can  keep  her  marriage  vow  to  the  very 
letter.  You  may  blame  my  mother,  but  she 
was  not  the  only  one  to  blame.  She  thought 
to  leave  my  future  provided  for  and  some 
chance  of  my  having  an  education.  Aunt,  if  I 
hurt  your  feelings  by  what  I  shall  say  now,  I 
beg  your  pardon,  but  this  I  believe ;  if  you  had 


FIRST    WED,    THEN    WON.  81 

answered  that  last  letter  of  mother's,  I  should 
not  be  a  married  woman  this  night.  Are  you 
not  to  blame  a  little?  " 

"Oh,  this  is  too  much,"  the  woman  cried  as 
she  walked  back  and  forth  across  the  room^ 
wringing  her  hands. 

"Auntie,  I  am  sorry;  but  you  blamed  my 
dead  mother,  and  that  I  could  not  bear.  Now,, 
Auntie,  let  us  dismiss  this  distasteful  subject.. 
I  am  married  and  there  is  no  help  for  it  now. 
I  will  try  and  live  as  I  think  is  right  for  a 
wife." 

' '  Child,    you  have  a  cruel  wrong  to   bear. 
People   think  you  a  strange  girl  not  to  enjoy 
young  men's  company  as  other  girls  do.     Can't 
you  go  and  do  as  other  girls  do?    They  do  not 
know  here  that  you  are  married. ' ' 
"Auntie,  you  and  I  know!  " 
"  True,  but  that  makes  no  difference. " 
"Yes  it  does.     I   have  not  willingly  com- 
mitted sin  yet,  and  that  I  hold  would  be  a  sin. 
Supposing  I  allowed  a  young  man  to  escort  me 
to  parties  and  places  of  amusement  for  some 


B2  FIRST  WED,    THEN    WON. 

time.  Then  he  should  visit  me  and  offer  me 
his  hand  in  marriage.  I  could  not  accept  him 
be  he  ever  so  worthy.  I  should  have  to  tell 
him  I  was  what  I  detest,  yes ;  despise  above  all 
things,  a  married  flirt. ' ' 

"Child,  you  are  using  rather  strong  lan- 
guage!" 

"  Not  any  too  strong,  Auntie.  I  told  you  I 
had  awoke.  I  am  no  child  now. ' ' 

"  If  that  is  your  sentiment,  I  am  sorry  we 
kept  your  marriage  secret. ' ' 

"So  have  I  been  sorry,  more  times  than  I 
can  count  on  my  fingers ! ' ' 

Her  aunt  arose  from  the  window,  saying: 
"  Child,  say  no  more,  for  here  comes  Nellie 
Newton.  Have  you  ever  hinted  to  her  you 
were  a  wife? " 

"  No.     But,  this  day  she  shall  know. " 

"  No,  no!  "  she  cried  out  in  fear. 

"  Yes,  Aunt,  I  shall  tell  her,  then  I  will  beg 
her  not  to  tell  others  for  some  time  to  come. 
Hark  !  there's  the  bell.  I  will  go  to  meet 
Nellie." 


FIRST   WED,    THEN  WON.  83 

These  girls  were  the  best  of  friends.  The 
only  shadow  between  them  was  Orabelle's  re- 
fusal of  young  men's  company. 

A  few  of  the  young  people  had  planned  a  trip 
to  Cooperstown  to  see  the  lake  that  Fenimore 
Cooper  had  told  so  much  about  in  his  "  Leather- 
stocking  Tales,"  and  to-day  Nellie  Newton  had 
come  to  see  if  Orabelle  was  ready  for  the  trip. 

"  I  am  ready,"  she  said  in  answer  to  Nellie's 
question ;  ' '  I  know  I  should  enjoy  seeing  that 
rand  old  lake,  but  I  don't  think  I  ought  to  go." 

"  Why  not !  You  seemed  to  be  more  anxious 
to  go  than  I,  yet  now  you  say  you  ought  not  to 
go.  What  do  you  mean?  " 

"  I  will  tell  you,  then  you  shall  say  if  I  go  or 
stay." 

"I  feel  so  sorry  for  you,"  said  Nellie  as 
Orabelle  finished  her  story.  ' '  I  think  you  are 
right,  to  live  as  you  have,  yet  I  never  dreamed 
of  that  as  the  reason  for  your  being  so  reticent 
and  so  unsocial." 

"  Shall  I  go  with  you  or  stay  at  home, 
Nellie? "  she  asked  in  a  tone  of  distress. 


84  FIRST   WED,    THEN   WON. 

"Go,  by  all  means!  You  must  not  be  de- 
prived of  all  pleasure,  little  wife!" 

"Nellie!"  she  cried  hoarsely,  "do  not  call 
me  that!" 

"  Why!  you  are  so  little  I  could  not  help  it," 
she  said  with  a  laugh. 

' '  That  was  what  my  husband  called  me.  I 
cannot  have  anyone  else  say  it.  It  brings  back 
my  wedding  morn  too  plainly  with  all  its 
SOITOW,  ' '  slowly  said  Orabelle. 

"He  left  you  then,  you  said,  and  you  have 
not  seen  him  since?" 

"  That  is  what  I  said." 

"Yet  he  was  home  last  year,  through  July- 
I  should  have  thought  he  would  come  to  see 
you  then." 

"  You  know  Auntie  and  I  went  to  Long 
Branch  as  soon  as  school  closed  last  year? " 

' '  What  of  that?     He  might  have  come  there >' ' 

"Yes — s,"  she  said,  hesitatingly,  "but  I 
suppose  he  thought  of  me  as  a  little  child,  and 
he  would  not  bother  with  me. " 

"  You  will  not  always  be  a  child,"  she  ex- 


FIRST    WED,    THEN   WON.  85 

claimed.  "Come  here!  you  are  growing  taller 
I  know.  Let  us  measure  once  more ! ' ' 

The  girls  laughed  at  their  attempts  to  learn 
their  height,  but  they  soon  found  that  Orabelle 
was  two  inches  taller  than  a  year  before. 

The  next  morning  a  happy  party  of  twelve 
young  men  and  thirteen  young  ladies,  met  at 
the  Albany  station  for  a  trip  to  "  Otsego  Lake" 
arriving  at  Cooperstown  at  sunset,  a  tired  yet 
happy  group.  After  tea  they  could  not  resist 
the  temptation  to  see  the  lake  by  moonlight. 
Only  one  of  their  party  had  been  to  the  lake 
before,  Norton,  the  professor  of  History.  He 
had  been  telling  his  class  of  the  beautiful  scenery- 
one  day  near  to  the  close  of  the  term,  when 
Otsego  lake  and  surroundings  had  been  the 
theme  of  their  lesson;  and  the  class  had  pro- 
posed to  pass  two  weeks  of  their  vacation  by 
the  side  of  this  lake. 

It  is  a  beautiful  sight  to  stand  on  the  dock 
and  watch  the  steamers  float  down  the  lake  on  a 
bright  moonlight  night.  This  party  of  young 
men  and  maidens  were  delighted  that  night 


86  FIRST  WED,  THEN  WON. 

with  the  view  which  met  their  tired  eyes.  Then 
they  passed  back  to  their  temporary  home,  the 
"  Cooper  House. " 

(The  Cooper  house  was  burned  in  1891,  and 
nothing  is  left  but  the  basement  walls,  crumb- 
ling' to  decay.) 

''Where  shall  we  go  first,  Mr.  Norton?" 
asked  Susie  Sprague,  the  next  morning,  when 
their  company  had  gathered  on  the  porch,  ready 
for  a  tour  of  the  town. 

"  I  propose  we  take  a  ride  on  old  Natta  Bump- 
po  around  the  lake,  first, ' '  answered  Norton. 

(In  the  summer  of  1898,  "  Natta  Bumppo" 
took  its  last  trip. ) 

Soon  they  were  seated  on  the  upper  deck  of 
that  old  boat,  slowly  floating  over  the  glassy 
waters  of  the  lake,  while  Norton  pointed  out 
the  places  supposed  to  be  the  ones  described  by 
Cooper  in  his  "  Leatherstocking  Tales. " 

"  I  do  not  wonder  Cooper  called  this  lake 
'old  Glimmer  Glass,'  do  you?  "  said  Orabelle, 
when  they  were  about  half  the  distance  up  the 
lake,  which  is  nine  miles  long. 


FIRST   WED,    THEN   WON.  87 

"  I  do  not,"  said  Nellie  Newton;  "  It  seems 
to  me  that  I  can  see  that  floating  home  of 
Cooper  fame  even  now. ' ' 

^"In    your    mind's    eye,    you    mean?"    said 
Norton   quickly. 

"Certainly,"  she  answered,  with  a  roguish 
smile. 

They  returned  in  time  for  dinner,  after  which 
they  went  to  the  Episcopal  cemetery  and  saw 
where  Cooper  sleeps  his  last  sleep.  On  their 
way  home  they  passed  the  spot  where  Otsego 
Hall,  the  Cooper  home,  used  to  stand. 

(Now  that  sacred  place  has  been  bought  by 
Mrs.  Alfred  Corning  Clarke,  of  Cooperstown.) 

The  site  of  the  old  mansion  is  marked  by  a 
huge  bowlder,  which  forms  a  pedestal  for  an 
Indian  and  his  dog,  in  bronze ;  by  its  side  is  a 
marker,  in  bronze,  bearing  this  inscription : 

On  this  site  stood 

Otsego  Hall, 

Built  by  William  Cooper, 
The  founder  of  Cooperstown,  in  1798. 

The  home  of 
James  Fenimore  Cooper, 


88  FIRST   WED,    THEN   WON. 

Where  he  lived  from  1834 
to  the  day  of  his  death, 

September  I4th,  1851. 
Destroyed  by  fire  in  1853. 

Supposed  to  mark  the  exact  spot  where  old 
Otsego  Hall  opened  its  hospitable  doors  to  the 
public  long  years  ago.  This  large  park,  sur- 
rounding the  memorial,  is  kept  in  perfect 
condition  by  the  loving  care  of  its  owner,  who 
opened  its  gates  to  the  public  in  1898. 

Across  the  lake  in  Lakewood  cemetery,  there 
stands  a  memorial  monument  to  James  Fenimore 
Cooper ;  on  the  top  of  this  memorial  is  a  lifelike 
statue  of  a  man,,  in  his  hand  a  gun,  and  by  his 
side  is  crouched  his  faithful  hound. 

"  My  glance  took  in  an  obelisk, 

High  towering  near  the  solemn  wood, 
Where  Natta  Bumppo's  stalwart  form 

In  lifeless  grandeur  stood. 
Careless  his  hand  the  rifle  grasp'd, 

That  weapon  known  throughout  the  world; 
And  crouching  at  the  hunter's  feet, 

His  faithful  hound  was  curl'd." 


FIRST    WED,    THEN    WON.  89 


CHAPTER   IX. 

HOME    AGAIN. 

"At  this  fair  lakelet's  southern  bound, 
A  famous  village  may  be  found; 
Known  to  the  world  of  fiction  wide, 
As  Templeton, — Otsego's  pride; — 
Is,  from  its   founder,  Cooperstown. 

PITCHER. 

HOME  again,  Aunt  Kate!  "  sang  Orabelle  as 
she  walked  into  her  aunt's  room,  just  two 
weeks  from  the  day  she  left  it  to  go  to  Coopers- 
town. 

"  Did  you  have  a  good  time?  "asked  her  aunt, 
after  they  had  conversed  some  time  about  home 
matters. 

"  Good  time!  We  had  a  delightful  time.  I 
do  not  wonder  people  like  that  famous  resort. 
I  do  not  wonder  that  Cooper  had  so  much  to  say 
in  his  novels  about  that  lake,  for  in  the  sunlight 
it  sparkles  and  glimmers  and  sparkles  like  unto 
diamonds.  I  cannot  begin  to  tell  you  half  of 


9o  FIRST   WED,   THEN   WON. 

the  beauties  of  Otsego  lake  and  its  surroundings. 
You  must  go  there  and  see  them  to  half  know 
their  wonders. ' ' 

"  Tell  me  of  them,"  said  her  aunt. 

' '  It  seemed  to  me,  as  I  stood  on  some  of 
those  places  named  in  the  '  Leatherstocking 
Tales/  that  I  was  in  some  enchanted  palace, " 
Orabelle  said.  "  I  know  that  I  was  foolish,  but 
that  is  the  way  I  felt,  as  though  those  grounds 
were  sacred. ' ' 

She  left  the  room  a  moment  and  returned 
with  her  hand  filled  with  cards  and  papers. 

''Here  Aunt,"  she  said,  "are  some  pictures 
I  secured  and  some  pencil  sketches,  also,  of 
some  of  the  scenes  I  saw  in  Cooperstown. 
This,"  she  said  picking  out  one  of  the  cards, 
"  is  a  bird's  eye  view  of  Cooperstown  taken 
from  the  east  side  of  the  lake  looking  south- 
ward. You  can  see  the  dome  of  the  court 
house,  there  on  the  right ;  that  building  on  the 
left  is  the  children's  home.  You  see  several 
church  spires ;  those  are  the  Baptist,  Methodist, 
Presbyterian,  Universalist,  Episcopal  and  Catho- 


FIRST   WED,    THEN   WON.  91 

lie  churches.  Down  there  is  the  boat  landing, 
where  we  took  the  boat,  the  old-time  '  Natta 
Bumppo,'  which  stands  at  the  dock,  you  see," 
pointing  to  the  picture,  ' '  for  our  first  ride  on 
old  Otsego  lake." 

''A  pretty  place,  I  judge,"  her  aunt  mused 
as  Orabelle  paused. 

*'  Pretty  place  is  hardly  the  name,  Aunt;  yet 
I  can  not  give  it  a  better  one." 

"Aunt  Kate,"  said  Orabelle,  handing  a  sheet 
of  paper  to  her  aunt,  ' '  here  are  a  few  verses 
that  Nellie  wrote  that  morning  we  took  our  first 
ride  on  the  lake. ' ' 

"Read  them,"  said  Mrs.  Grey,  handing  the 
paper  back,  and  Orabelle  read  the  following: 

' '  Once  on  a  time,  as  the  story  books  say, 

I  hastened  away  on  a  summer's  day, 

To  Cooperstown,  to  glean  from  Nature, 

Some  beautitul  thoughts  for  she  is  our  best  teacher. 

Thus  far  away  from  my  home  I  wandered, 
And  there  I  sat  me  down  and  pondered, 
As  upon  a  steamboat  I  my  first  ride  did  take 
Over  the  sparkling  waters  of  Otsego  Lake. 


92  FIRST    WED,    THEN   WON. 

Now,  Cooper's  tales  have  told  us  all  about 

This  lake  as  a  famous  water  route; 

And  this  old  baat  after  one  of  his  characters  named, 

I'm  sure  is  nearly  world-wide  famed. 

'Old   Glimmer  Glass'  is  a  bed  of  diamonds,   to-day, 
As  the  golden  sun  shines  on  its  water  way; 
And  many  mortals  on  the  breast  of  its  waves, 
Are  enjoying  the  rest  that  a  weary  one  craves. 

We   are  sailing  over  its  waters  with  hearts  so  gay, 
And   listening   to  the  murmuring  waves  as  they  play 
Beneath  the  boat,  in  their  haste  to  reach, 
The  near-by  shore  and  the  gravelly  beach. 

We  have  left  '  King  Fisher's  Tower '  far  behind, 
While  before  us  the  '  sunken  island  '  is  outlined. 
Ah!  here  we  turn  and  are  nearing  the  west  side; 
A  little  farther  down,  then  comes  the  end  of  our  ride; 

We  pass  so  many  historical  points  as  we  float, 
Down  this  beautiful  lake  in  our  '  Natta '  boat, 
To  its  landing  dock;  with  many  a  regret 
That  time  is  so  short,  yet  the  day,  we'll  never  forget. 

We're  nearing  the   dock!   other  places   our  attention 

claim, 

That  bear  full  as  much  interest  and  fame 
As  this  finest  of  scenery,  and  glorious  sight 
Of  the  glimmering  lake  in  the  golden  sunlight." 

After  reading  the  verses  she  picked  up  a  card, 
saying :  ' '  This  is  a  picture  of  the  tower  Nellie 
referred  to. ' ' 


KING   FIHIIKH  TOWKK 


FIRST    WED,    THEN    WON.  93 

"  I  should  think  it  a  pleasant  place.  Is  it 
private  property?  "  her  aunt  asked,  still  gazing 
at  the  picture. 

"  Yes;  it  belongs  to  the  Clarke's,  and  stands 
near  the  east  shore,  about  two  miles  up  the 
lake.  This  is  three-mile  point  on  the  west  side 
of  the  lake;  a  place  convenient  for  picnic 
parties.  This  is  five-mile  point,  which  is  on  the 
west  side  and  very  much  like  the  other,  only 
larger.  The  hotel  is  large  and  serves  its  sum- 
mer guests  with  the  best  of  accommodations. ' ' 

"  This  is  the  memorial  to  Fenimore  Cooper 
in  Lakewood  cemetery,  across  the  lake  from 
Cooperstown. " 

When  her  aunt  laid  that  down,  she  handed 
another,  saying:  "This  is  Cooper's  grave  in 
the  Episcopal  cemetery.  Aunt,  I  wish  you 
could  see  the  real  spot  instead  of  this  picture," 
she  said  as  she  handed  the  next  picture  to  her 
aunt,  ' '  this  is  where  the  old  Cooper  home  used 
to  stand,  called  '  Otsego  Hall. '  Now,  nothing 
is  there  but  a  stone  tablet  inscribed  in  memorium 
of  the  Hall.  I  might  call  it  a  memorial  stone. 


94  FIRST   WED,    THEN   WON. 

This  is  fenced  in  and  flowers  grow  around  it, 
just  in  the  center  of  Fair  street. " 

Her  aunt  had  kept  silent,  for  the  descriptions 
and  pictures  interested  her  very  much;  but 
when  Orabelle  picked  another  paper  and  sat 
smiling  at  it;  and  did  not  offer  it  to  her,  she 
watched  her  a  moment  in  silence  then  said : 

"  What  ails  that  picture  that  you  are  afraid 
I  shall  See  it?  " 

' '  Nothing,  only  I  was  thinking  of  the  time 
when  I  saw  the  original,"  she  answered. 

"  Let  me  see  it !  what  is  there  so  funny  about 
it?" 

She  took  the  paper.  Gazed  at  it  a  moment ; 
and  she  could  not  repress  her  smile,  as  she  said : 

"This  is  a  cute  looking  boy;  is  it  a  true 
picture?  " 

"As  true  as  could  be  drawn  from  memory. 
Let  me  tell  you  about  that.  One  bright,  sun- 
shiny day,  we  started  at  the  outlet  of  the  lake, 
Susquehanna  river,  and  wandered  down  its 
banks  for  about  three  miles.  About  a  mile 
from  the  lake  we  came  upon  the  laziest  specimen 


f  ft3 

. 


• 


FIRST   WED,    THEN   WON.  95 

of  a  boy  I  ever  saw.  That,"  she  said,  pointing 
to  the  picture  in  her  aunt's  hand,  "is  a  pencil 
sketch  of  him.  Our  party  artist,  Mills,  drew 
this  as  near  like  him  as  he  could  remember, 
some  three  days  afterwards,  while  we  were  talk- 
ing and  laughing  about  him ;  and  Mills  gave  this 
to  me.  We  named  it ,  you  see,  '  Our  Lazy  Boy' . " 
Her  aunt  was  still  silent  so  she  continued : 
' '  Mr.  Norton  asked  the  boy  why  he  did  not 
use  his  umbrella  which  lay  on  the  bank  at  his 
feet,  and  keep  off  the  sun,  if  he  was  not  going 
to  fish.  The  boy  gave  him  a  wild  look,  winked 
one  eye,  sort  of  knowingly  and  said  he  '  did  not 
know  as  he  needed  it.'  All  of  us  laughed 
heartily  and  the  boy  looked  hurt.  We  tried  to 
hire  his  reel  and  other  fishing  tackle,  but  he 
would  not  let  us  have  it.  Some  four  hours 
afterwards,  we  saw  him  sitting  on  the  bank  of 
the  river,  as  you  can  see  in  the  picture,  and  Mr. 
Norton  asked:  'What  luck?'  The  boy  told 
him  to  '  go  west  and  grow  up  with  the  country. ' 
Aunt,  I  do  not  think  that  boy  had  baited  his 
fish  hook  that  day,  for  the  line  was  dry  and 


96  FIRST   WED,    THEN    WON. 

looked  as  though  it  had  not  been  used  or  even 
undone." 

Mrs.  Grey  looked  up  from  the  picture  and 
reprovingly  said :  "  I  am  thinking  you  young 
people  were  rude  to  that  boy.  I  am  sorry  if 
you  helped  to  make  him  feel  unpleasant. ' ' 

"  Now  Aunt!  judging  from  that  picture,  do 
you  think  he  knew  we  were  laughing  at  him!  " 
she  slowly  asked,  yet  a  smile  of  derision  passed 
over  her  face. 

"Yes,  I  do;  yet  we  should  be  very  careful 
never  to  cause  sorrow  to  people  of  little  wit.  I 
think  from  the  little  you  have  told  me  and  from 
the  picture  that  you  could  not  call  that  boy  an 
idiot." 

**  No,  I  think  he  was  more  lazy  than  idiotic." 

"  Then  think  of  how  you  young  people,  being 
so  thoughtless,  must  have  hurt  his  feelings.  Do 
not  allow  yourself  to  make  such  unmannerly 
fun  again,"  said  Mrs.  Grey,  chidingly. 

"I  will  try  and  remember  your  advice^ 
Aunt,"  she  said,  then  gathered  np  her  views 
and  left  the  room. 


FIRST   WED,    THEN   WON.  97 

A  few  weeks  after  Orabelle  returned  to 
Albany  she  received  a  letter  from  New  York. 
After  reading  its  contents  she  took  it  to  her 
Aunt  and  said :  '  'Auntie  you  remember  Lucy 
Baylis,  we  met  at  Long  Branch  last  season?  " 

"  Oh,  yes,  I  remember  her.  Why  do  you 
speak  of  her  now?  " 

' '  I  have  corresponded  with  her  all  this  year, 
and  this  letter  asks  me  to  spend  Thanksgiving 
with  her.  She  says  Jennie  North  will  be  there 
at  that  time.  May  I  go?  " 

"I  presume  you  can,  yet  it  is  a  long  time 
ahead,"  she  said,  thoughtfully. 

Then  Orabelle,  after  her  aunt  handed  back 
the  letter,  put  it  in  her  pocket ;  and  took  up  an 
old  book,  a  diary,  which  she  had  placed  in  her 
lap.  She  opened  it,  turned  to  a  certain  page, 
pointed  to  some  writing  and  placed  it  in  her 
aunt 'slap,  saying:  "  Auntie,  read  that." 

Mrs.  Grey  read  the  few  words  penciled  there, 
then  looked  up  and  said:  "  Well,  what  of  that!" 

' '  Was  that  your  brother? " 

"  Yes,  my  only  brother. " 


98  FIRST  WED,    THEN   WON. 

' '  Have  you  heard  from  him  since  he  went  to 
California?  " 

"  No.  I  have  tried  to,  but  could  learn  no 
tidings  whatsoever  concerning  him." 

"  Why  did  he  go  off  there,  so  far  from  home 
and  friends?  " 

"  I  will  tell  you.  He  loved  a  beautiful  girl  in 
those  days,  sixteen  years  ago.  She  died  just 
six  days  before  the  day  set  for  their  marriage. 
Ross  stayed  home  nearly  three  months  after 
her  death ;  then  he  said  this  part  of  the  world 
would  see  him  no  more,  packed  his  trunk  and 
started  for  California.  He  was  completely 
heart-broken. ' ' 

"  I  have  heard  mamma  speak  of  Uncle  Ross 
many  a  time,  while  she  was  sick,"  softly  mused 
Orabelle. 


FIRST    WED,    THEN    WON.  99 


CHAPTER  X. 

NEW    FRIENDS. 

"Oh,  never  sit  we  down,  and  say 

There's  nothing  left  but  sorrow! 
We'll  sow  the  golden  grain   to-day, 

And  harvest  comes  to-morrow. 
Build  up  heroic  "lives,  and  all 

Se  like  a  sheathen  sabre, 
Ready  to  flash  out  at  God's  call, 

O  chivalry  of  labor! 

GERALD  MASSEY." 

WHEN  Thanksgiving  day  came,  in  the  fall 
of  1885,  it  found  Orabelle  Mitchel, 
Jennie  North,  Nellie  and  Fred  Newton  in  New 
York,  at  the  home  of  Lucy  Baylis.  Lucy  Baylis 
was  twenty-two  or  three  years  of  age;  lived 
with  a  maiden  aunt,  who  chaperoned  her,  and 
gave  Lucy's  brother  a  home  when  he  would 
stay  there. 

Orabelle  and  Lucy  stole  away  from  the  rest 
of  the  visitors  to  the  room  of  Lucy  for  a  chat 
that  Thanksgiving  afternoon.  Orabelle  was 
anxious  to  learn  the  reason  of  the  delayed 
marriage  of  Jennie  North. 


ioo  FIRST   WED,    THEN   WON. 

"Will  you  tell  me,"  said  Orabelle,  "the 
reason  Jennie  and  your  brother  were  not  married 
last  New  Years,  as  you  wrote  me  they  would 
be?" 

"  I  cannot  tell  you,  dear  friend,  as  I  would 
did  I  but  know  the  reason  myself,"  answered 
Lucy  sadly. 

"  You  do  not  mean  to  tell  me  that  you  do 
not  know ! ' ' 

"  That  is  it.  I  do  not  know  the  reason ;  yet 
my  brother  received  a  dispatch  the  day  before 
Christmas,  which  he  said  called  him  to  San 
Francisco;  and  that  he  must  leave  at  once. " 

"  Do  you  know  what  was  in  the  message!  " 

"  No,  I  never  asked  him.  I  supposed  it  was 
something  wrong  at  his  ranch  that  needed  his 
immediate  attention,  for  he  left  the  next  day." 

"  Owns  a  ranch,  does  he? " 

"Yes,  I  have  asked  him  to  describe  it,  but  he 
says  it  is  like  all  western  ranches  we  read  about, 
and  that  is  all  I  know. ' ' 

' '  Certainly,  Lucy,  you  could  not  know  if  I 
told  you,"  said  a  voice  in  the  doorway,  inter- 


FIRST    WED,    THEN  WON.  101 

rupting  her  suddenly,  for  she  supposed  them 
selves  alone. 

No,  William  Baylis,  do  not  lie  to  that  pure 
sister,  and  call  Grieg's  new  property  yours! 

"Oh!  When  did  you  get  home,  Will?  "  ask- 
ed Lucy,  as  she  arose  to  greet  him. 

' '  Just  now,  sister.  As  you  have  a  friend 
here,  excuse  me  while  I  go  and  remove  the 
signs  of  my  long  journey. " 

"  Wait  a  moment!  "  cried  Lucy,  as  he  turned 
to  leave  the  door. 

He  turned  back  and  came  into  the  room. 
"  What  is  it,  sister?"  he  asked,  but  gave  the 
stranger  an  admiring  glance. 

' '  Orabelle,  this  is  my  brother  Will.  Miss 
Mitchel,  Mr.  Baylis,"  said  Lucy. 

Again  was  William  Baylis  the  New  York 
swell. 

He  bowed  low  over  her  hand  when  he  gath- 
ered it  within  his  own.  For  a  moment  he  held 
that  hand  with  a  hearty  clasp.  She  thought  he 
held  it  longer  than  courtesy  called  for,  and  tried 
to  gently  draw  her  fingers  from  his  clasp,  while 


102  FIRST    WED,    THEN    WON. 

he  passed  the  compliments  of  the  day  with  her. 
Soon  after  this  came  the  summons  to  dinner 
and  Baylis  offered  his  arm  to  Orabelle.  She, 
with  a  peculiar  smile  on  her  lips,  turned  quickly 
and  placed  her  arm  within  that  of  Lucy  saying : 

"  Thank  you,  sir,  for  your  kindness,  but  here 
is  my  escort  for  dinner  to-day. ' ' 

He  bit  his  lips  beneath  his  mustache,  then 
gave  a  droll  laugh  at  his  discomfiture.  He 
made  a  mental  vow  at  that  moment,  that  he 
would  bring  that  girl  to  his  feet  to  plead  for 
mercy,  before  he  was  many  years  older.  Din- 
ner passed  quite  pleasantly ;  but,  William  Baylis 
had  found  one  girl  who  did  not  like  flattery, 
and  who  would  not  receive  his  advances.  This 
piqued  him.  It  was  something  he  was  not  used 
to.  ' '  Girls"  he  thought,  ' '  liked  flattery. ' ' 

During  the  evening  when  Orabelle,  Nellie 
and  Fred  Newton  sang  a  trio,  Baylis  watched 
Orabelle  every  moment  with  a  fascinated  look 
on  his  face.  His  sister  was  alarmed.  "  Can  it 
be  that  I  have  invited  Orabelle  here,  to  step  in 
between  Jennie  and  Will?  "  she  asked  herself. 


FIRST    WED,    THEN    WON.  103 

' '  Will, ' '  his  sister  said ;  her  voice  assuming 
a  strange  tone  on  the  "  Will,"  as  the  song  came 
to  an  end;  "Will,  are  you  dreaming?  " 

"  No,"  he  said  as  he  turned  towards  her  with 
a  smile,  "  but  that  song  is  grand.  Miss  Mitchel, 
if^that  is  one  of  your  favorites,"  he  went  to  the 
piano  as  he  spoke,  "  please  sing  another  as  fine 
as  that!" 

His  tones  were  very  pleading.  She  did  not 
act  as  though  she  heard  him.  Jennie  North 
called  for  the  "  Gipsy  Queen,"  and  Orabelle 
sang  that,  then  refused  to  sing  again,  after  she 
caught  a  glimpse  of  the  face  of  Baylis  beside 
her.  She  gave  one  glance  at  Baylis  when  she 
sang,  and  the  look  of  admiration  she  saw  on  his 
face  gave  her  a  feeling  of  disgust.  Though  but 
sixteen,  she  had  learned  to  read  the  different 
phases  and  facial  expressions  of  those  she  met ; 
and  when  she  saw  admiration  in  Baylis's  eyes,  it 
gave  her  a  shock  as  well  as  disgusted  her. 
Love  was  far  from  her  thoughts  in  those  days, 
except  that  little  spark  that  belonged  to  an  ab- 
sent husband,  whom  she  was  beginning  to  think 


io4  FIRST    WED,    THEN    WON. 

of  daily.  It  has  been  truly  said  ' '  that  distance 
lends  enchantment. ' ' 

We  will  take  a  trip  to  California,  while  Baylis 
is  in  New  York,  and  see  if  we  can  find  out  why 
he  left  so  suddenly  last  winter,  so  near  his  wed- 
ding day  that  the  wedding  was  postponed.  We 
will  go  first  to  the  new  farm  of  Crieg's,  and  lis- 
ten to  a  conversation  there. 

"  Hill,  did  you  send  that  telegram  to  Baylis, 
as  I  told  you?  "  asked  Lee  Hay  wood. 

' '  Yes ;  and  he  will  return  just  as  quickly  as  he 
can  get  here. ' ' 

"  That  is  good.  I  do  not  think  I  can  follow 
his  plans,  unless  he  is  here  to  direct.  Then  I 
do  not  like  this  business  any  too  well  for  I  have 
learned  to  like  Crieg ;  and  if  I  can  get  out  of 
Baylis's  clutches  I  shall  live  a  different  life." 

The  loud  laugh  of  Hill  made  him  pause. 

"  Would  you  be  a  traitor,  Hay  wood?  " 

' '  No,  but,  I  am  sorry  I  have  put  myself  in 
his  power,  and  just  as  soon  as  I  can  withdraw, 
honorably  I  shall." 

' '  Good   morning,    Hay  wood ;    how   is  every- 


FIRST   WED,    THEN   WON.  105 

thing  to-day,"  Ross  Crieg  interrupted,  as  he 
walked  into  the  room. 

A  look  of  fear  passed  between  the  men  at 
Grieg's  words,  while  they  wondered  how  much 
of  their  conversation  he  had  overheard. 

"  Everything  going  finely,"  answered  Hay- 
wood. 

Haywood  introduced  Hill  as  a  friend  from 
the  east ;  for  Haywood  had  pretended  his  home 
was  in  New  York. 

Crieg  was  a  man  not  easily  deceived ;  yet,  he 
had  been  fooled  in  this  instance  by  Haywood ; 
but  when  he  received  an  introduction  to  Hill,  it 
came  to  him  where  he  had  seen  the  two  men  in 
the  past.  He  said  nothing  to  them  at  the  time 
of  this  remembrance ;  but  hurriedly  finished  his 
business  at  the  farm,  then  as  quickly  as  he 
could  hastened  home.  When  there  he  sat  down 
and  tried  to  solve  the  problem  of  why  Haywood 
the  gambler  should  become  his  overseer.  He 
finally  became  convinced  that  there  was  some 
chicanery  in  the  transaction,  and  hurried  to  his 
confidential  secretary  Dow  and  consulted  him. 


io6  FIRST   WED,    THEN    WON. 

As  a  result  of  this  interview,  Neil  Dow  was 
given  an  office  in  the  home  of  the  overseer  and 
called  the  bookkeeper.  In  reality  he  was  Grieg's 
private  detective.  Crieg  did  not  believe  in  dis- 
charging a  good  man  until  he  found  him  guilty, 
although  his  suspicions  had  been  arosued. 

When  Baylis  arrived  this  change  had  been 
made,  and  he  blamed  Haywood  for  having  Hill 
there  and.  giving  Crieg  even  a  chance  of  seeing 
the  man. 

"  But  I  do  not  see  how  that  made  any  differ- 
ence, Baylis.  Crieg  said  he  had  been  looking 
for  a  bookkeeper,  all  along,"  said  Haywood. 

' '  That  may  be.  But  it  spoils  my  chance  for 
revenge,  as  the  books  can't  be  tampered 
with  at  present.  Lay  low  and  bide  your  time ; 
perhaps  he  may,  if  you  play  your  cards  right, 
become  so  infatuated  with  you  that  he  will  al- 
low you  to  become  bookkeeper  as  well  as  over- 
seer. See!  " 

"Yes;  and  I  will  work  for  that  position,  too, 
but  not  because  you  wish  me  to,"  he  said  with 
an  air  which  alarmed  Baylis. 


FIRST    WED,    THEN    WON.  107 

"What  do  you  mean,  Hay  wood? " 

' '  This ;  I  am  tired  of  my  bondage  to  you  and 
I  will  break  it  from  this  moment ! ' ' 

' '  Like  the  d 1  you  will. ' ' 

' '  I  have  made  up  my  mind  and  it  will  take 
more  than  you  to  change  it,  Baylis. ' ' 

"  Haywood,  you  are  crazy!  " 

"No,  I  am  perfectly  sane  now." 

"  Then  this  is  what  Hill  meant.  He  said  I 
must  look  out  for  you  were  a  traitor. ' ' 

' '  Call  me  what  you  will,  Baylis,  I  will  never 
prove  a  traitor  to  Ross  Crieg.  Then  this  is  not 
all;  since  I  left  your  home,  the  bright  eyes  of 
your  sister  have  followed  me,  until  I  have  re- 
solved to  become  such  a  man  as  would  not 
blush  to  ask  that  lovely  girl  to  be  his  bride. " 

' '  Whew !  how  wonderfully  nice  we  are  all  at 
once,"  sneered  Baylis. 

"  No,  not  at  all  at  once,"  he  answered  slowly. 

"  Now,  hear  me,  Lee  Haywood!  I  have  wait- 
ed months  since  my  return  from  New  York,  to 
get  speech  with  you ;  and  you  have  avoided  me, 
for  you  thought  I  dare  not  come  here ;  but  you 


io8  FIRST  WED,   THEN  WON. 

see  I  have  dared.  Hill  has  tried  to  see  yon  and 
tell  you  my  wishes,  for  I  was  angry,  and  you 
cut  with  him  too.  Now,  just  see  what  you  have 
done.  Through  your  means,  I  was  here  instead 
of  at  New  York  last  New  Years,  which  was  to 
have  been  my  wedding  day,  and  which  was 
postponed  on  account  of  the  telegram  from  Hill. 
Yet,  when  I  got  here,  you  shook  the  business. 
Let  me  tell  you  this,  now,"  as  Haywood  at- 
tempted to  speak,  "you  will  never  marry  my 
sister,  for  I  shall  see  her  and  give  her  your  his- 
tory ;  and  she  is  too  pure  minded  to  marry  the 
likes  of  you." 

"  Pity  her  brother  wasn't  more  like  her,"  in- 
terrupted Haywood,  "  and  what  a  blessing  to 
the  girl  out  east,  when  that  wedding  was  post- 
poned. How  you  must  have  loved  her,  to  for- 
get your  wedding  day  for  the  pleasant  task  of 
fulfilling  your  vow  of  vengeance !  I  thank  God 
that  I  am  able  to  foil  you  in  this  one  instance. ' ' 
Neither  had  seen  the  approach  of  Crieg,  or 
heard  him  step  on  the  doorstep,  where  his  feet 
refused  to  carry  him  any  farther,  because  his 


FIRST    WED,    THEN    WON.  109 

name  had  been  used  by  a  voice  that  did  not  be- 
long to  the  overseer;  so  he  had  listened  until  he 
thought  it  was  time  to  make  his  presence  known ; 
but  the  next  sentence  made  him  wait  a  moment 
longer. 

"  Lee  Hay  wood,  you  dare  to  foil  me  in  my 
revenge  upon  Ross  Crieg,  and  you  shall  pay  the 
penalty  by  death, ' '  he  hissed. 

"  Go  on ;  do  and  say  as  you  will,  I  shall  never 
touch  a  penny  of  Grieg's  money,  which  is  not 
lawfully  mine!  " 

' '  You  dare  me " 

"  Well,  Gentlemen,"  interrupted  Crieg  at  that 
moment,  "I  am  sorry  I  have  to  disturb  you, 
I  have  some  work  I  wish  Haywood  to  advise 
me  about.  As  I  intend  to  start  for  the  east 
in  two  days,  my  time  is  limited. 

This  compelled  Baylis  to  leave  with  his  wrath 
at  boiling  point,  for  he  knew  by  the  look  on 
Grieg's  face  that  his  revenge  had  failed.  He 
went  away  muttering,  and  when  partly  conceal- 
ed by  some  low  shrubs,  shook  his  fist  at  the 
house  and  vowed  again  for  vengeance.  Crieg 


no  FIRST   WED,    THEN    WON. 

went  with  Haywood  to  see  the  work  he  had 
named,  then  he  asked  for  an  explanation  of  the 
conversation  he  had  overheard. 

"Crieg, "  said  Haywood,  when  he  had  told 
all  the  past  history,"  do  you  think  a  man  of  my 
sinfulness  can  atone  enough  to  be  received  by 
his  fellows,  and  taken  by  the  hand  like  an  hon- 
est man  ?  " 

' '  He  that  repents  of  sin  and  sins  no  more, 
shall  receive  forgiveness,"  Crieg  made  answer. 

"  Crieg,  I  do  not  fear  Baylis's  vengeance  for 
myself,  but  for  you.  As  for  turning  his  sister's 
like  or  dislikes,  I  think  it  impossible,  for  he 
dare  not  tell  her  of  me  unless  he  tells  of  him- 
self. Then  she  must  have  got  my  letter  by 
this  time  and  knows  my  life  as  well  as  you,  for 
I  have  concealed  nothing  but  her  brother's  part. ' ' 

"  Haywood,  we  will  watch  Baylis  closely  and 
try  and  foil  him  at  every  point.  Give  me  the 
address  of  Baylis's  sister,  and  perhaps  —  I  may 
meet  her  while  I  am  in  the  east.  Remember 
one  thing,  from  this  day  I  am  your  friend,  here 
is  my  hand. ' ' 


FIRST    WED,    THEN   WON.  in 

Haywood  gave  him  a  hearty  grasp  and  men- 
tally swore  a  faithful  allegiance  to  his  first  real 
friend;  for  nearly  a  year's  work  for  Crieg  had 
convinced  him  that  when  Crieg  said  "  friend" 
he  meant  it,  and  a  true  friend  too. 


CHAPTER   XI. 

BAYLIS  BUYS  AN  OLD  MINE. 

"  Oh,  for  a  wonderful  gold  mine,  well  drilled, 
That  these  pockets  of  mine  might  be  filled," 
Sang  a  little  ragged  and  laughing  urchin.        LIFE. 

"  Hill,  I  want  you  to  go  up  among  the  old 
mines  and  see  if  there  are  any  old  claims  and 
houses  for  sale. ' ' 

"  Baylis  are  you  going  to  turn  miner?  " 
"  Do  my  bidding  and  ask  no  questions,"  im- 
patiently ;  "I  want  the  cheapest  one  you  can 
buy.  If  thet  house  has  four  rooms  in  it  will 
suit  me ;  and  the  farther  from  all  other  huts,  the 
better  to  my  purpose," 


ii2  FIRST  WED,    THEN   WON. 

"  Did  your  marriage  come  off  this  time,  that 
you  are  after  a  cage  for  the  bird? " 

"  Out  with  you,"  he  fairly  shouted,  as  he 
swung  his  fist  under  Hill's  nose,  "do  my  er- 
rand and  quick  too !  ' ' 

"  Come,  come,  Baylis,  you  are  too  cranky!  if 
you  go  east  any  more,  I  shall  not  know  you,  for 
you  change  so,  " 

"  Mind  your  own  biz,"  and  he  turned  on  his 
heel  and  left  the  room,  Any  reference  to  his 
betrothal  angered  him  for  he  did  not  love 
Jennie  North.  At  the  time  he  asked  Jennie 
to  marry  him  he  was  heart  whole.  But,  he 
saw  she  loved  him,  and  he  thought  that  the 
girl  was  lovely  and  sole  heiress  to  a  million, 
that  it  would  be  for  his  interest  to  win  her  for 
his  bride.  But  when  love  did  enter  his  fickle 
heart,  all  thoughts  of  marriage  to  Jennie  North 
fled. 

Hill  returned  on  the  fourth  day  and  gave 
Baylis  a  description  of  an  abandoned  mine, 
which  he  had  learned  could  be  bought  at  near- 
ly their  own  price. 


FIRST   WED,    THEN   WON.  113 

(History  of  the  gold  fever  of  1848  and  years 
afterwards  shows  that  many  mines  were  aban- 
doned for  what  the  miners  supposed  were  rich- 
er mines  in  Colorado.  Some  of  these  mines 
were  never  reopened.) 

Baylis  bought  this  mine ;  repaired  the  house 
and  furnished  it.  He  established  himself  there 
and  hired  men  to  work  the  mine.  The  men 
thought  him  crazy,  but  for  this  he  did  not 
/eare.  They  received  their  wages  every  Sat- 
urday night  so  they  cared  little  about  him  or 
if  they  found  gold  or  not,  until  several  months 
had  passed,  when  one  of  the  men  exclaimed: 

"  Boys,  look  at  that  ivy!  I  am  going  to  pull 
it  up  and  carry  it  to  the  house  and  set  it  out 
by  the  door." 

"Bother  the  ivy!  dig  for  gold  is  better," 
said  Grey  the  foreman,  a  little  impatiently  and 
rather  sarcastically. 

Before  the  foreman  had  finished  speaking 
the  ivy  was  up  and  to  the  astonishment  of  the 
men  shining  gold  lay  before  their  eyes. 

"  Eureka!"  cried  Kent.     "  Wont  Baylis  crow 


ii4  FIRST   WED,    THEN    WON. 

now  at  these  old  croakers  at  'Cisco, — who  called 
him  a  fool  for  buying  the  old  claim. ' ' 

"  I'll  bet  ten  dollars  he  knew  what  he  was 
about,  when  he  bought  the  old  thing,"  cried 
Ben  Atherton. 

"  You  bet  our  boss  is  no  fool,"  said  the  fore- 
man; Now  to  work  with  a  will  and  see  how 
much  dust  we  can  carry  home  to  Baylis." 

Baylis*  had  no  idea  of  finding  gold.  He  had 
another  object  in  working  the  old  claim.  The 
reopening  of  this  mine  so  many  years  after  the 
gold  fever  had  died  down,  caused  quite  a  little 
excitement  in  California.  After  the  finding  of 
gold  Baylis  put  in  more  men  and  worked  the 
mine  till  his  fortune  was  secured.  His  revenge 
on  Ross  Crieg  was  a  secondary  matter  then, 
yet,  when  he  bought  the  place  he  had  another 
revenge  in  view.  He  named  the  mine  Ivy 
Glen  mine,  because  it  was  found  through  the 
ivy.  The  mine  was  but  a  few  miles  from 
San  Francisco ;  -just  about  five  hours  ride  from 
the  city. 


FIRST    WED,    THEN    WON.  115 


CHAPTER  XII. 

CRIEG'S  RETURN   EAST. 
"  I  slept  and  dreamed  that  life  was  beauty  : 
I  woke  and  found  that  life  was  duty  : 
Was  then  thy  dream  a  shadow  lie  ? 
Toil  on,  sad  heart,  courageously, 
And  thou  shalt  find  thy  dream  to  be 
A  noonday  light  and  truth  to  thee." 

A  TELEGRAM  announcing  the  serious  ill. 
ness  of  Mrs.  Grey  had  recalled  Orabelle 
to  Albany  from  New  York.  It  was  several 
months  before  Mrs.  Grey  was  able  to  leave  her 
room  again,  and  Orabelle  had  nearly  forgotten 
some  of  the  events,  that  had  happened  while 
she  was  in  New  York,  until  a  letter  from  Miss 
Baylis  recalled  to  her  mind  some  of  the  sayings 
of  young  Baylis.  •  Then  she  went  to  her  aunt's 
room  and  conversed  sometime  with  her  before 
she  said: 

"Auntie,  do  you   know  where   Uncle    Ross 
went?" 

"To  California;  why  do  you  ask  again?  " 

' '  When   I  was  visiting  Lucy  Baylis  last  fall 


n6  FIRST   WED,    THEN    WON. 

her  brother  came  home  from  San  Francisco. 
One  day,  while  talking  with  him  of  California, 
I  mentioned  that  I  had  or  supposed  I  had  an 
Uncle  somewhere  in  that  clime.  He  asked  his 
name  and  I  told  him.  Aunt,  there  was  a  queer 
expression  came  over  his  face  when  I  said  Ross 
Crieg,  that  I  could  not  fathom.  He  seemed 
disinclined  to  answer  when  I  asked  if  he  knew 
such  a  man.  I  pressed  the  question  more  to 
see  if  I  could  read  his  thoughts,  than  with  any 
idea  he  knew  Uncle  Ross,  for  I  thought  that  im- 
probable. When  he  did  answer,  he  said  he 
knew  a  rich  man,  who  lived  about  five  miles 
from  San  Francisco  who  owned  a  large  vineyard, 
and  he  believed  answered  to  the  name  of  Ross 
Crieg.  When  he  said  '*  Ross  Crieg,"  I  knew,  if 
I  am  any  judge  of  faces  that  he  hated  the  Ross 
Crieg  he  knew." 

"I  am  afraid  you  are  too  easily  impressed 
with  what  you  see  in  people's  faces." 

"  But  Auntie,  I  hardly  ever  fail  in  my  char- 
acter reading!  " 

41 1  am  aware  of  that,  but  how  do  you  do  it? 


FIRST   WED,    THEN   WON.  117 

All  faces  look  alike  to  me,  as  far  as  character 
goes." 

' '  I  cannot  tell  you,  only  I  make  a  study  of 
every  face  I  see. ' ' 

A  puzzled  expression  came  into  her  eyes  and 
she  arose  and  looked  out  of  the  window  at  the 
people  passing  by.  Without  turning  around 
she  asked: 

"  Auntie,  may  I  write  and  see  if  it  is  Uncle 
Ross?" 

"If  this  man  should  prove  a  stranger,  he 
would  think  you  a  silly  girl." 

"  But  if  he  proves  my  Uncle,  would  he  think 
me  silly?"  She  turned  quickly  as  she  asked  : 
*'  Auntie,  may  I  write  him?" 

' '  Yes.  Then  if  he  should  prove  to  be  my 
brother  how  glad  I  would  be,"  and  a  happy 
look  came  into  the  wasted  face. 

It  was  this  letter  written  by  Orabelle  Mitchell 
that  had  turned  Ross  Grieg's  face  eastward,  as 
he  thought  of  Claud  Mitchell  and  the  money 
left  in  his  trust  for  Orabelle.  It  was  then  he 
said  to  his  secretary,  Dow :  "I  am  going  east 


n8  FIRST  WED,  THEN  WON. 

to  see  this  young  niece  of  mine,  and  see  what 
kind  of  a  woman  I  am  trustee  for.  If  she  is 
anything  like  my  sister  Lillie,  I  shall  be  proud 
of  her. ' ' 

"You  have  told  me  of  her  father.  What  if 
she  proves  to  be  like  him?" 

"Oh!  I  hope  she  is  not  like  him!  Colonel 
Belmont  was  all  right,  only  he  was  a  rebel," 
and  he  almost  hissed  the  word  ' '  rebel ' ' 

"But"  said  Neil  Dow,  "  you  and  I,  if 
brought  up  as  the  Colonel  was,  perhaps,  would 
have  been  just  as  staunch  and  true  to  the  south 
as  he. " 

"True.  Look  at  Haywood !  he  tells  me  he 
was  born  and  brought  up  in  Georgia.  Now 
he  has  learned  that  there  are  good  and  bad  men 
at  the  north,  the  same  as  in  the  south. " 

"Then,  how  can  you  let  that  old  hatred  for 
the  rebel  colonel  still  rankle  in  your  heart? 
Perhaps  he  changed  his  opinions  as  you  say 
Haywood  has.  That  reminds  me  to  ask  you 
if  you  know  the  reason  of  his  coming  here  ?" 

' '  He  says  that  like  Leland  Stamford  he  took 


FIRST    WED,    THEN  WON.  119 

Horace  Greeley's  advice, —  "Go  west  young 
man !  ' '  having  read  so  much  about  the  gold 
regions  he  became  imbued  with  the  fever, 
packed  his  wardrobe  and  responded  to  the  cry 
of  — Gold !  He  came  here — and  struck  it  rich — 
fell  in  with  the  gamblers  and  gambled  till  his 
fortune  took  wings  and  flew  away.  That  is 
the  reason  he  gave  when  he  applied  for  over- 
seer." 

' '  I  wonder  if  that  is  true, ' '  musingly  said 
Dow. 

' '  No, "  hissed  Crieg,  "  its  a  lie ! ' ' 

"What's  a  lie?"  Dow  asked  quickly. 

"  Haywood  came  here  at  the  instigation  of 
that  sneak,  Baylis. ' ' 

"He  did!  And  still  you  keep  him,"  he 
cried  as  he  sprang  to  his  feet  and  came  to  the 
side  of  Crieg. 

"  Wait!  Sit  down  and  let  me  tell  you  what  I 
overheard  yesterday. ' ' 

After  Dow  was  seated,  Crieg  told  of  the  con- 
versations already  recorded  and  of  the  vow  of 
Haywood  to  become  a  good  man. 


120          FIRST  WED,    THEN   WON. 

' '  Then  I  hope  he  will  win  the  love  of  the 
girl,  who  has  brought  him  to  his  senses,"  said 
Dow. 

Ten  days  after  this  conversation  with  Dow, 
Ross  Crieg  was  shaking  hands  with  his  sister 
and  niece,  in  their  home  at  Albany.  A  few 
hours  after  his  arrival,  Orabelle  asked  why  he 
had  not  answered  their  letter. 

' '  I  have  answered  it, ' '  he  said. 

"Then  we  never  received  it,"  said  Orabelle- 

"  Yes  you  have;  it  is  here,"  and  pointed  to 
himself. 

"How  can  I  read  you,  Uncle?"  she  cried, 
her  eyes  twinkling  merrily. 

' '  By  word  of  mouth  "  he  said  "  and  a  kiss  in 
the  bargain." 

She  drew  her  face  into  as  grave  an  expression 
as  she  could,  and  said:  "  Oh,  Uncle,  I  never 
kiss  the  men ! ' ' 

"You,  don't!  Then  you  are  different  from 
all  the  women  I  ever  saw,"  he  said,  and  stopped 
for  the  story  of  Claud  came  to  him  at  that  mo- 
ment, and  he  thought  how  his  sister  had  said, 


FIRST    WED,    THEN   WON.  121 

*'  Ross  this  is  sister  Lillie's  daughter  Orabelle. " 

Here  was  a  new  thought.  Did  they  mean  to 
deceive  him,  or  would  they  tell  him  all  by  and 
by?  He  would  wait  and  see.  Then  he  plead- 
ingly added :  ' '  But  you  will  let  an  old  man, 
your  Uncle,  kiss  you?" 

"  You  may  kiss  me  ,"  she  said,  and  went  to 
meet  him  as  he  arose  from  his  chair,  just  as  he 
bent  to  kiss  her  lips,  he  pressed  her  cheek  in- 
stead. 

"Ho!  Ho!  What's  this"  he  cried  his  face 
fairly  rippling*with  smiles. 

"I  said  I  kissed  no  man,  neither  are  my  lips 
for  the  kisses  of  men,"  she  said  so  firmly  that 
her  aunt  thought  it  best  to  say : 

' '  Orabelle  made  a  vow  a  few  years  ago,  that 
no  man  should  kiss  her  lips  but  her  husband," 

"  That  will  be  years  hence,  then,  for  I  will 
not  consent  to  any  but  a  prince  for  my  little 
prude  "  be  said,  pinching  her  cheek. 

She  looked  up  in  his  face  with  a  laugh,  then 
stepped  back  a  pace  and  saucily  said : 

"  I    shall  not  ask  my  dear  Uncle   if   I   can 


122  FIRST   WED,    THEN   WON. 

marry  a  prince,  for — don't  laugh — I  am  already 
a  married  woman. ' ' 

' '  Nonsense  ' ' 

He  tried  his  best  to  say  it  with  surprise,  but 
was  sure  he  had  failed. 

"  A  fact  Uncle." 

"  Who  is  the  lucky  man?  Bring  him  hither 
and  let  me  clasp  his  hand.  Now  what  is  the 
matter?*  Why  these  peculiar  looks  between 
between  Aunt  and  niece?  Am  I  not  to  know 
the  secret,  too?" 

"  Thereby  hangs  a  tale,  which  I  will  tell  you, 
just  as  soon  as  you  are  ready  to  listen, ' '  said 
Orabelle. 

' '  Ready — one — two " 

' '  Stop !  ' '  And  she  stamped  her  foot ;  you 
will  not  hear  one  word  of  the  tale,  if  you 
are  going  to  make  fun  of  me,"  she  said. 

He  whirled  around  and  when  he  was  seated 
he  was  a  grave  old  man.  But,  oh!  it  was  such 
hard  work  to  sit  there  and  listen  when  he  al- 
ready knew  the  story.  But  the  story  from  her 
lips  was  sadder  yet  than  the  story  told  by  Claud, 


FIRST    WED,    THEN    WON.  123, 

the  absent  husband.     How  well  he  realized  that 
the  little  bride  was  a  woman  to-day. 


CHAPTER    XIII. 

HAYWOOD'S    LETTER. 

"Just  as  of  old  the  seasons  come  and  go, 

The  summer  with  its   flowers,    the   winter  with   it 

snow. 

Just  as  of  old  the  lovers  come  and  go, 
While  the  silvery  moonbeams  flit  to  and  fro." 


had  three  rooms  at  her  own 
\~s  disposal  in  her  Aunt's  house.  As  the 
time  of  her  graduation  drew  near,  she  changed 
her  dressing  room  into  a  study  room,  and  there 
her  Uncle  and  Aunt  used  to  sit  ,  when  not  other- 
wise engaged,  and  watch  her  study.  One  day 
near  the  first  of  June,  Orabelle  looked  up  from 
her  book  suddenly,  as  if  some  thought  had  dis- 
turbed her  studies.  She  looked  at  her  Uncle 
so  steadily  that  he  raised  his  eyes  and  asked  her 
what  troubled  her. 


i24  FIRST   WED,    THEN    WON. 

"  I  was  wondering  if  you  had  a  friend  in  Cali- 
fornia by  the  name  of  William  Baylis. ' ' 

She  stopped  suddenly,  for  her  Uncle  said, 
with  a  voice  like  thunder,  "  No!" 

"Wait,  Uncle." 

"  Do  you  know  that  devil?"  he  interrupted. 

' '  I  met  a  young  man  at  New  York,  last  fall, 
who  bore  that  name.  It  was  through  him  we 
found'you. " 

"  Did  you  like  him?"  he  asked. 

"Yes and  no." 

"  That  is  a  queer  answer,"  he  said 

' '  I  thought  him  a  self -conceited  fop  for  one 
thing ;  and  a  flirt  for  another.  And  then,  when 
I  asked  him  about  you,  he  acted  nearly  as 
strangely  as  you  do  now.  Uncle,  what  can  be 
the  trouble  between  you  two?  for,  he  seemed  to 
hate  you,  or  I  do  not  read  facial  expressions 
right." 

"  He  is  a  very  bad  man,  Orabelle,  besides  be- 
ing a  gambler.  He  has  good  reasons  to  hate 
me  as  well  as  I  to  despise  the  likes  of  him,"  he 
said  thoughtfully,  for  he  could  not  explain  then. 


FIRST   WED,    THEN   WON.  125 

He  was  fearful  they  would  ask  him  more  and 
he  would  have  to  tell  them  more,  so  he  asked 
them  if  they  knew  Haywood. 

"  No,  "  said  Orabelle, "  but  I  have  heard  Lucy 
Baylis  speak  of  him.  He  is  a  great  friend  of 
her  brother's." 

"  Not  now,"  he  said. 

Orabelle  looked  at  him  quickly  as  though  to 
read  his  inmost  thoughts.  She  failed  to  get  the 
meaning  of  her  Uncle's  expression.  Neither 
could  she  get  him  to  give  an  explanation  of  his 
words,  for  he  was  trying  so  hard  to  not  let  them 
know  how  much  he  knew  concerning  them. 

Orabelle  pleaded  so  hard,  in  a  letter  to  Lucy 
Baylis,  for  her  to  come  and  be  with  her  through 
graduation,  that  Lucy  decided  to  grant  her  re- 
quest. The  innocent  mentioning  in  thel  etter,  of 
Grieg's  overseer,  was  one  great  reason  of  Lucy's 
trip  to  Albany.  Shortly  after  her  arrival  at 
Mrs.  Grey's,  she  learned  the  story  of  Orabelle's 
marriage.  This  was  a  great  surprise  to  her, 
but  it  led  her  to  tell  of  the  letter  she  had  re- 
ceived from  Haywood.  She  produced  the  letter 


126  FIRST   WED,    THEN   WON. 

and  asked  Orabelle  to  read  it.  It  was  just  at 
twilight,  so  instead  of  ringing  for  lights,  Orabelle 
took  the  ietter  to  the  window  and  read : 

"Miss  Baylis,  I  hardly  dare  address  you, 
much  less  call  you  friend ;  yet  I  trust  you  will 
pardon  your  brother's  friend  for  presuming  on 
your  friendship  to  the  extent  of  writing  such  a 
letter  as  this.  I  ask  as  a  favor  that  you  read 
this  through  before  you  allow  yourself  to  pass 
judgment  on  me.  I  was  born  at  Atlanta,  Geor- 
gia ;  and  brought  up  to  think  the  northern  people 
all  wrong.  And  when  I  went  home  from  school, 
at  the  age  of  eighteen,  and  told  my  parents  that 
I  was  engaged  to  a  girl  from  New  York,  a 
stormy  scene  ensued,  which  I  leave  you  to  ima- 
gine, for  I  cannot  describe  it.  I  held  to  my 
promise  against  all  opposition.  When  the  time 
•came  for  me  to  go  to  New  York  for  the  wedding, 
my  parents  refused  to  accompany  me  so  I  packed 
my  trunk  and  started  for  the  home  of  my  bride- 
to-be.  As  I  was  passing  the  postoffice  on  my 
way  to  the  station,  I  thought  I  would  see  if  any 
letters  had  arrived  in  the  last  mail  for  me.  I 


FIRST   WED,    THEN   WON.         127 

received  several  and  among  them  one  from  my 
betrothed,  saying:  'You  need  not  come  to  New 
York,  for  I  am  already  married. '  To  say  I  was 
dazed  would  be  putting  it  rather  mildly.  I 
sent  my  trunk  back  to  the  house  and  went  into 
a  tavern.  The  next  I  knew  I  awoke  in  a  hotel 
in  Baltimore.  A  friend  stood  over  me  and  I 
asked  him  where  I  was  and  what  had  happened. 
He  said  he  had  found  me  on  the  street — I  am 
ashamed  to  say  it  now — crazy  drunk.  He  had 
taken  care  of  me  there,  and  when  I  was  able  to 
leave,  tried  to  coax  me  to  go  home.  I  have 
never  been  home  since.  The  reason  why  I  will 
tell  you.  I  have  since  learned  that  the  girl  I 
loved  in  my  teens  was  fickle-minded,  and  that 
through  my  father's  influence  and  money  she 
was  led  to  jilt  me  in  that  way.  It  took  many 
years  to  convince  me  of  her  worthlessness,  and 
teach  me  to  say  I  was  glad  I  was  free  from  such 
as  she.  Now  I'll  go  back  to  myself.  I  drifted 
with  the  tide  till  I  drifted  to  the  gold  mines  of 
California.  There  I  found  gold  until  I  counted 
my  money  by  the  hundreds  of  thousands.  Oh, 


J28  FIRST   WED,    THEN   WON. 

if  I  had  only  done  as  my  mother  wrote  me !  But 
I'll  cease  these  vain  regrets.  I  fell  in  with  two 
gamblers  who  fleeced  me  out  of  my  gold ;  and 
then  I  completed  the  trio  and  helped  to  fleece 
others  out  of  their  gold.  I  am  going  to  tell  you 
the  truth,  let  it  be  ever  so  much  against  me.  I 
have  been  everything  that  was  bad,  except  to 
become^a  burglar  or  a  murderer.  Now,  when  I 
was  in  your  home,  I  fell  in  love  with  you.  I 
went  away  without  one  word  of  love  leaving  my 
lips.  I  tried  to  live  it  down,  but  for  love  of  you 
I  could  not  go  on  in  the  old  life.  Whether  you 
can  return  my  love  or  not,  your  lovely  face  has 
come  between  me  and  evil  and  saved  me ;  for  I 
shall  break  from  my  old  companions  and  become 
a  law-abiding  citizen.  Think  over  this  letter; 
and  if  you  can  give  me  one  little  ray  of  hope — 
not  hastily — write  me.  As  God  is  my  judge,  I 
swear  to  you,  whether  you  love  me  or  not,  that 
I  will  never  gamble  or  touch  one  drop  of  liquor> 
as  a  beverage  again,  so  long  as  I  live." 

Orabelle  turned   and    searched   the   face  of 
Lucy. 


FIRST   WED,    THEN  WON.  129 

"  Have  you  answered  this?"  she  asked. 

"  No,"  said  Lucy. 

"Why  not?"  she  asked.  "  Couldn't  you  love 
him,  or  do  you  love  another?" 

' '  I  certainly  love  no  one  else ;  and  if  I  thought 
he  truly  loved  me  I  would  answer  the  letter, ' ' 
she  said,  partly  to  herself  and  partly  to  Orabelle. 

"Oh,  wait  a  moment!"  cried  Orabelle,  and 
then  hastily  left  the  room. 

In  a  few  moments  she  came  back  to  the  study 
room,  leading  her  Uncle  Ross  by  the  hand. 
When  she  had  seated  him  in  a  chair  by  the  table, 
and  the  lights  were  in  order,  she  said  to  Lucy : 

"  Uncle  Ross  knows  Lee  Hay  wood,  for  he  is 
Uncle's  overseer  at  one  of  his  vineyards.  So  if 
you  are  willing,  I  want  Uncle  to  read  that  letter 
and  tell  us  if  it  is  true. ' ' 

Lucy  hesitated  a  few  moments,  then  placed 
the  letter  in  front  of  Ross  Crieg,  giving  him 
permission  to  read.  He  read  the  letter,  sat  si- 
lent a  moment,  then  asked: 

"  Miss  Baylis,  will  you  allow  an  old  man  like 
me  to  ask  if  you  love  him?  You  need  not  hesi- 


i3o  FIRST    WED,    THEN  WON. 

tate,  for  this  letter  is  all  true ;  arid  I  believe  he 
will  keep  his  vow,"  he  said,  as  he  saw  how  she 
hesitated. 

"I  will  say  this  much,"  she  answered,  "I 
have  never  seen  a  man  so  near  to  my  ideal 
of  a  husband  as  Lee  Haywood ;  but  I  cannot  say 
I  love  "him.  Orabelle,  you  have  read  the  letter ; 
you  know  howl  feel  toward  him.  What  is  your 
advice?" 

She  looked  at  Lucy  thoughtfully,  then  ran  to 
the  bookshelf,  took  'down  a  scrap  book,  opened 
it  and  placed  her  finger  on  a  page  as  she  placed 
the  book  in  Lucy's  lap,  saying: 

"  These  verses  will  give  you  my  sentiments. " 

And  the  merry  twinkling  of  her  eyes  pleased 
Tier  Uncle. 

"  Aloud,  Miss  Baylis, "  he  cried,  "  read  them 
aloud ! ' ' 

She  read  in  a  quiet  manner  the  following 
verses : 


"  A  father  sat  by  the  chimney-post 
On  a  winter's  day,  enjoying  a  roast; 
By  his  side  a  maiden  young  and  fair, 


FIRST   WED,    THEN   WON.  131 

A  girl  with  a  wealth  of  golden  hair; 
And  she  teases  the  father,  stern  and  cold, 
With  a  question  of  duty,  trite  and  old: 
'Say,  father,  say,  what  shal^  a  maiden  do 
When  a  man  of  merit  comes  to  woo? 
And,  father,  what  of  this  pain  in  my  breast? 
Married  or  single — which  is  the  best?' 
Then  the  sire  of  the  maiden  young  and  fair, 
The  girl  of  the  wealth  of  golden  hair, 
He  answers  as  ever  do  fathers  cold, 
To  the  question  of  duty  trite  and  old: 
'She  who  weddeth  keeps  God's  letter; 
She  who  weds  not,  doeth  better.' 
Then  meekly  answered  the  maiden  fair: 
The  girl  with  the  wealth  of  golden  hair, 
'I'll  keep  the  sense  of  the  holy  letter, 
Content  to  do  well  without  doing  better.'  " 

''Then  you  believe  in  keeping  God's  holy  let. 
ter,"  cried  Crieg  to  Orabelle,  as  Miss  Lucy  fin- 
ished reading. 

"  Yes,  in  one  sense  of  the  word.  Don't  you, 
Lucy?" 

"  I  think  I  see  which  way  you  are  drifting," 
•she  said  smiling;  "  so  I'll  say  this  much.  I  will 
write  to  Mr.  Hay  wood,  that  if  he  keeps  his  vow 
for  one  year  more  and  if  he  and  I  think  the  same* 
then  I  will  give  him  a  ray  of  hope. ' ' 


i32  FIRST    WED,    THEN    WON. 

' '  Good !  Oh !  there  is  the  bell  for  lunch,  let 
us  hasten ! ' ' 

The  time  of  Orabelle's  graduation  drew  near, 
then  she  went  to  her  teachers  and  told  them 
she  was  married,  and  her  husband  was  in  Ger- 
many finishing  his  education.  That  under  the 
circumstances  she  wished  to  receive  her  diplo- 
ma from  the  Superintendent,  without  the  ac- 
customed Miss  before  her  name.  Her  wish 
was  granted  but  it  caused  many  comments. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

THE     BRIDE'S    THEFT. 

"  Behold,  we  live  through  all  things — famine,  thirst,. 

Bereavement,  pain,  all  grief  and  misery, 

All  woe  and  sorrow  ;  life  inflicts  its  worst 

On  soul  and  body — but  we  cannot  die, 

Though  we  be  sick,   and  tired,  and  faint,  and  worn  ; 

Lo  !  All  things  can  be  borne," 

ALLEN. 

BEFORE  Orabelle  would  consent  to  accom- 
pany her  Uncle  to  California,  she  made 


FIRST    WED,    THEN    WON.          133 

them  promise  to  take  her  to  visit  her  old  home 
in  Oneonta.     She  declared  it  was  home  no  more 
for  how  a  few  years  had   changed  the   place. 
Four  years  sometimes  makes  a  city. 

( Oneonta  of  to-day  contains  a  population  of 
about  10,000  inhabitants.  It  is  on  the  line  of 
the  Delaware  and  Hudson  railroad  —  whose 
shops  employ  many  hundreds  of  hands.  There 
is  a  silh  mill,  a  shirt  factory,  a  knitting  mill,  a 
flour  mill,  several  cigar  factoies,  bicycle  works 
and  many  other  smaller  industries.  The  busi- 
ness streets  are  lined  with  fine  brick  blocks. 
The  residential  streets  are  unequaled  in  any 
place  between  Albany  and  Binghamton. 

The  town  has  an  electric  railroad  and  is 
lighted  by  electricity.  It  is  here  that  one  of 
the  finest  Normal  Schools  in  the  state  is  situa- 
ted, besides  a  high  school  and  several  smaller 
ones.) 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Mitchel  were  very  much  sur- 
prised at  the  change  they  saw  in  Orabelle ;  for 
from  a  girl  of  fourteen,  she  had  developed  into 
a  young  lady  of  more  than  pleasing  appearance. 


i34  FIRST  WED,   THEN  WON. 

The  thin  sallow  cheeks  had  rounded  out  and 
were  tingad  with  red.  The  eyes  had  a  sparkle 
that  gave,  on  first  acquaintance,  the  idea  that 
she  was  brimming  over  with  fun  and  frolic. 
But  when  in  animated  conversation  those  spark- 
ling eyes  helped  to  show  forth  the  ideas  of  the 
soul  of  the  speaker ;  and  it  was  then  that  people 
called  her.  beautiful. 

' '  It  is  September  now  and  we  must  be  in  San 
Francisco  by  the  i5th  of  January,"  Crieg  had 
said  to  Mrs.  Mitchel  one  day,  and  Orabelle 
heard  him. 

"Oh,  Uncle,"  she  cried  "that  is  my  birth- 
day! I  can't  go  until  after  that "  she 

stopped  in  confusion,  for  the  thought  came — 
"  perhaps,  Claud  might  come  home  at  that 
time. ' '  She  blushed  as  she  turned  to  Mrs. 
Mitchel  and  asked : 

"  Mother,  has  Claud  finished  his  education 
yet?" 

"Not  quite,  I  believe.  We  hope  to  have 
him  home  in  one  more  year,"  she  answered 
slowly,  thinking  it  was  a  good  plan  they  had 


FIRST    WED,    THEN    WON.  135 

kept  them  apart.  She  knew  that  should  those 
two  meet  now,  their  future  would  be  spoiled 
and  that  must  not  be. 

"  Uncle  Ross  and  mother,  I  have  always  had 
an  idea — why,  I  can  give  no  reason,  but  I 
had  the  idea  that  my  absent  husband  would  re- 
turn on  that  day,  so  if  I  am  not  to  see  him,  I 
would  just  as  soon  be  in  California  as  here,  on 
my  birthday." 

"Do  you  wish  to  see  him?"  Mrs.  Mitchel 
cautiously  asked. 

<4  Does  any  true  wife  wish  to  see  her  husband 
after  four  years  absence?"  She  asked  with  eyes 
blazing  and  cheeks  aflame. 

"  Did  you  love  him  when  yon  married  him?  " 
Mrs.  Mitchel  asked. 

"  No,"  she  said  as  though  disgusted  with 
her  for  asking  the  question. 

' '  Yet  you  wish  to  see  him — surely  you  can- 
not love  him  now!" 

"  But  I  do?"  And  the  blushes  went  surging 
over  neck  and  face,  as  she  answered.  "  I  have 
studied  over  the  reason  of  my  marriage  and 


136  FIRST    WED,    THEN    WON. 

how  Claud  talked  that  morning — Oh!  Every 
word  and  act  of  ours,  on  that  morning  so  long 
ago,  is  stamped  upon  my  heart — till  sometimes 
I  believe  that  the  love  I  bear  my  husband 
sprang  into  my  heart  that  morning,  when  he 
called  me  his  "  Little  Wife." 

Crieg  seemed  very  nervous,  yet  kept  silent, 
fearing  to  say  what  he  wished  to  say,  lest  he 
tell  of  Claud.  Mrs.  Mitchel  went  to  the  side  of 
Orabelle  with  tears  shining-in  her  eyes,  gathered 
her  into  her  arms,  as  she  said : 

' '  May  he  love  you  as  well  when  you  two 
shall  meet  again  is  the  only  wish  of  my  heart, 
my  precious  daughter!" 

•"  Mine  too!  mine  too!"  said  Crieg. 

He  was  fearful  of  a  scene  between  them  and 
a  woman  in  tears  he  always  shunned. 

"You  have  met  Clau — "  she  hesitated,  for 
Crieg' s  actions  seemed  to  say:  "Stop!"  As  he 
said  nothing,  Mrs.  Mitchel  added:  "Do  you 
think  Claud  will  love  her?" 

' '  I  feel  as  though,  from  what  I  know  of  this 
strange  contract — "  he  won't  say  marriage — 


CLAUD  MITCIIEL 


FIRST    WED,    THEN  WON.  137 

* '  that  they  will  come  as  near  my  ideal  lovers,  as 
two  peas  are  alike  in  the  same  pod." 

"Uncle,  you  have  used  a  queer  comparison," 
laughed  Orabelle. 

"lam  queer,    anyway,"  he  said. 

At  the  request  of  Mrs.  Mitchel,  Orabelle  had 
some  pictures  taken  while  there,  and  left  one 
for  Claud.  They  did  not  offer  one  of  Claud's 
to  her  in  return,  so  she,  on  the  morning  of  her 
return  to  Albany,  purloined  one  from  the  album- 

When  telling  her  aunt  of  their  visit  an  d  of 
the  many  changes  that  had  taken  place  there, 
she  thought  of  her  theft,  and  took  the  picture 
from  her  pocket,  as  she  said : 

"Auntie,  here  is  the  first  thing  I  ever  stole, 
that  I  know  of.  I  feel  I  had  a  right  to  it,  yet  I 
certainly  did  steal  it ! "  and  a  guilty  smile  passed 
over  her  lips  as  she  handed  the  card  to  her  aunt. 

"Why  did  you  do  it?"  she  asked  as  she  gazed 
on  the  photograph. 

' '  I  saw  the  picture  and  wanted  it.  I  left  one 
of  mine  for  Claud ;  and  when  they  did  not  offer 
me  one  of  his  and  I  saw  several — I  just  made  up 


138  FIRST   WED,    THEN    WON. 

my  mind  to  have  one  at  any  cost,  so  I  just  bor- 
rowed this  one. ' ' 

' '  When  the  owner  was  absent,  eh !  well  I  don't 
say  I  am  not  ashamed  of  you  for  I  am,  yet,  my 
child,  I  can't  scold  you,  for  I  think  I  should 
have  done  the  same  thing,  wouldn't  you,  Ross?" 
she  asked  her  brother,  as  he  came  into  the  room 
and  sat  down. 

"Done  what?  I  shall  have  to  hear  what  it  is 
before  I  can  answer  you?" 

The  story  of  the  stolen  picture  was  soon  re  - 
told.  When  they  had  shown  him  the  picture, 
he  said  rougishly : 

' '  They  did  not  beat  you,  and  I  am  heartily 
glad  of  it!" 

' '  Kate,  there  is  something  queer  in  the  way 
the  Mitchel's  act  about  the  children,"  said  Crieg 
to  his  sister.  ' '  I  tried  to  coax  Mr.  Mitchel  to 
allow  them  to  correspond,  but  he  would  not 
hear  one  word  about  it.  He  said  it  was  only 
for  one  more  year  they  would  have  to  wait  and 
he  did  not  believe  in  mixing  love  and  studies 
together." 


FIRST   WED,    THEN   WON.  139 

Then  he  ceased  for  he  came  near  saying  that 
he  knew  Claud  and  that  he  did  not  intend  say- 
ing. That  was  another  surprise  Orabelle  must 
meet  with  on  her  eighteenth  birthday. 


CHAPTER  XV. 

THE    JOURNEY    AND    CRIEG'S    NEST. 

' '  Courage  Christian !  do  not  stumble. 
Though  thy  path  be  dark  as  night, 
There's  a  star  to  guide  the  humble; 
Trust  in  God,  and  do  the  right." 

McLEOD. 

JENNIE  North  had  said  many  times  before 
Orabelle,  that  she  would  be  delighted  to 
spend  a  season  in  California  if  she  only  had 
friends  there,  but  to  go  alone  she  never  would. 
A  remembrance  of  her  words  came  to  Orabelle, 
as  she  was  making  preparations,  one  day,  for 
their  journey. 

She  hastened  to  inform  her  Uncle  and  Aunt 
of  her  friend's  views  and  wishes. 

They  counseled  her  to  invite  Miss  North  to 


1 40  FIRST    WED,    THEN    WON. 

company  them.  She  complied  with  their  wishes 
and  the  result  was  Miss  North  made  one  of  the 
party  that  journeyed  westward  that  fall.  They 
spent  many  weeks  in  their  journey,  for  after 
leaving  the  Mississippi,  they  left  the  direct  route 
and  went  many  miles  out  of  their  way ;  for  Crieg 
was  bent  upon  Orabelle's  seeing  more  of  the 
West  in  a  short  time,  than  Claud  had  in  the 
several  months  that  he  had  spent  there.  Of 
course  they  visited  Yellowstone  park  and  the 
Yosemite  Valley — as  all  sight-seekers  will. 

There  was  one  place  Orabelle  called  the  en- 
chanted city,  and  by  some  it  is  called  the  "  City 
not  made  by  hands."  This  was  a  sandstone 
formation  more  marvelous  to  her  than  all  other 
scenes  of  rocks  or  land  or  waterfalls  or  geysers. 
When  they  came  near  enoiigh  to  see  the  church 
spires  in  the  distance,  Orabelle  exclaimed: 

' '  What  city  is  that  in  the  distance,  Uncle ! ' ' 

"  The  city  not  made  by  hands,"  he  replied, 
watching  her  closely. 

"  Not  made  with  hands!  how  can  that  be?" 
the  ladies  said. 


FIRST    WED,    THEN    WON.  141 

"  That,  ladies,  is  a  sandstone  formation," 
said  Crieg.  They  turned  to  him  for  an  ex- 
planation, but  as  they  had  approached  so  near, 
he  did  not  answer.  The  nearer  they  ap- 
proached this  marvelous  architecture  of  the  ele- 
ments, they  could  not  repress  exclamations  of 
wonder  and  delight.  Streets  were  plainly  visi- 
ble; massive  temples  with  their  spires  and 
domes ;  monuments  of  every  conceivable  shape ; 
towers  and  minarets,  all  formed  of  pure  white 
silica,  which  glittered  in  the  bright  sunlight  like 
walls  of  crystal. 

Upon  entering  the  confines  of  this  magical 
city,  they  were  soon  undeceived,  for  what  looked 
at  a  distance,  a  city,  was,  in  reality,  a  mass  of 
white  sandstone,  worn  by  the  winds  and  waters 
into  a  wonderful  similitude  of  a  magnificent 
city. 

' '  Who  can  wonder  that  travelers  become  so 
enamored  with  the  wealth  of  scenery  in  the 
far  west!"  exclaimed  Orabelle. 

They  arrived  at  Grieg's  Nest  two  days  before 
Orabelle 's  birthday.  On  that  eventful  day 


i42          FIRST  WED,    THEN   WON. 

Crieg  invited  the  ladies  to  ride  with  him  over 
his  vineyards.  After  they  viewed  these  vine- 
yards, he  told  them  that  about  one  mile  from 
there  was  the  vineyard  of  Orabelle. 

"Mine!  Uncle,  why  jest?"  She  asked  in 
wonderment. 

"  I  am  not  jesting,"  he  replied,  and  smiled 
at  the  surprised  looks  of  the  three  ladies. 

"Ross,"  his  sister  said,  "you  surely  are 
jesting.  How  came  Orabelle  by  property  here?" 

"  That's  the  leading  question,  Kate,"  he 
evasively  said. 

"Well,  if  you  are  not  jesting,  tell  us  how  she 
came  by  this " 

"  Left  her  by  a  friend,"  he  interrupted. 
"Now,  here  we  are;  And,  there  is  Haywood 
ready  to  give  us  a  welcome  home,"  he  cried,  as 
he  reined  the  horses  through  a  gate  and  stopped 
at  a  house.  He  soon  assisted  the  ladies  to  de- 
scend from  the  wagon,  and  introduced  them  to 
Haywood.  When  he  came  to  Orabelle,  he  said  : 

"  This  is  my  niece,  Mrs.  Mitchel.  She  has 
come  to  interview  you  about  her  property. 


FIRST   WED,    THEN   WON.  143 

To  her  you  must  give  an  account  of  all  the 
proceedings,  also  the  books  must  be  examined 
by  her. ' ' 

"  My  books  are  in  excellent  order,  sir,  and  I 
can  soon  explain  all  the  business  to  her.  I  am 
glad  to  meet  the  lady  by  whom  I  have  been  em- 
ployed," Haywood  made  answer. 

"  Sir,  I  have  not  employed  you,  for  I  have 

no  reason  of "  she  began  to  slowly  say, 

when : 

' '  Wait  a  moment,  Orabelle ! ' '  Her  Uncle 
cried.  "  Wait  till  we  get  in  the  house  and  seat- 
ed, then  I  will  explain." 

When  everything  had  been  explained,  Ora- 
belle arose  Bnd  placed  her  hand  beneath  her 
Uncle's  chin  and  turned  his  face  upwards. 

She  looked  steadily  into  his  eyes  for  a  mo- 
ment, then  asked:  "Uncle  are  you  deceiving 
me?" 

4 '  I  have  told  you  the  truth  "  he  said  in  reply. 

' '  Then  my  husband  intended  to  desert  his 
Baby  bride  all  these  years !  No,  no !  I  cannot 
believe  it,"  she  cried.  "  He  was  too  noble 


144  FIRST    WED,    THEN    WON. 

that  morning  to  have  urged  me  into  the  mar- 
riage and  after  it  was  done,  he  could  not  be  so 
cruel — "  tears  stopped  her  speech. 

"  He  does  not  intend  to  be  husband  in  name 
only;  he  will  return  when  his  education  is  fin- 
ished. Orabelle,  listen !  His  parents  knew  no 
more  about  this  than  you,  for  it  was  Claud's 
wishes, "  her  Uncle  said  in  a  convincing  voice ; 
yet  he  did  not  tell  how  Claud  came  by  the 
money. 

Orabelle  soon  comprehended  the  situation 
and  learned  to  take  the  control  into  her  own 
hands.  She  told  her  Uncle  that  his  advice  she 
should  always  need,  if  her  husband  never  re- 
turned. 


.  CHAPTER  XVI. 

THE    OLD    AND    THE    NEW. 

"Be sure  you  are  off  with  the  old  love, 
Before  you  are  ready  to  put  on  the  new." 

ONE  day,  while  conversing  with  Ross  Criegr 
Miss  North  mentioned  the  name  of  Baylisr 
and  the  queer  looks  and  actions  of  Crieg  caused 


FIRST    WED,    THEN   WON.  145 

her  to  ask:  "  Mr.  Crieg,  do  you  know  the  man?" 

"  As  well  as  I  want  to  know  a  man  of  that 
kind,"  he  said,  rather  impatiently. 

"  Isn't  he  a  good  man?" 

"  A  good  man!  he's  a  devil,"  he  growled. 

' '  Mr.  Crieg — I  see  by  your  looks  and  manner 
that  you  know  more  than  you  wish  to  say. 
Now,  I  have  confidence  in  you,  and  I  want  you 
to  tell  me  just  the  kind  of  man  he  is,  for  I  am 
betrothed  to  him.  Once  our  marriage  has  been 
postponed.  Why,  I  never  knew;  only  a  tele- 
gram from  here,  and  he  said  business  called 
him  home.  I  have  seen  him  but  once  since 
then.  He  seemed  strange  to  me  then;  and  af- 
ter he  met  your  niece — ' ' 

"  Good  Heavens!"  cried  Crieg,  showing  in _ 
tense  excitement. 

"  Wait  a  moment,  sir.  I  thought  he  fell  in 
love  with  her,  but  she  seemed  to  repulse  any 
advance  of  his — " 

"  Good!"  he  said,  and  seemed  to  be  pleased 
with  her  remark. 

"Yes,   she  did.     Then    I  could    not  see  the 


146  FIRST    WED,    THEN  WON. 

reason  of  it,  now  I  think  I  can.  After  he  met 
her,  he  was  cool  toward  me  and  never  spoke  of 
marriage  again.  I  began  to  debate  with  my- 
self, for  I  was  too  proud  to  say  one  word  to 
him/ and  I  thought  he  was  after  my  money. 
I  thought  I  loved  him  then,  but  now  I  know  I 
did  not.  Yet,  I  have  not  broken  my  promise 
for  I  held  it  a  sacred  vow. ' ' 

' '  Break  it  just  as  soon  as  you  can, ' '  he  cried 
excitedly. 

"Why?" 

"Listen!  He  came  here,  to  reek  his  ven- 
gence  on  me  for  saving  Claud  Mitchel  from  be. 
coming  a  gambler.  You  know  I  told  how  Ora- 
belle  came  by  that  property  but  did  not  tell 
how  Claud  came  by  the  money?" 

"Yes." 

"  Well,  here  is  how  it  happened,"  and  he  re. 
lated  the  story  of  Claud's  gambling,  also  of 
Baylis  trying  for  revenge  and  why  his  wedding 
was  postponed.  Crieg  told  her  to  make  assur- 
ance doubly  sure ;  and  she  accepted  his  advice 
and  went  to  San  Francisco  in  quest  of  that 


FIRST    WED,    THEN    WON.  147 

knowledge.  On  her  return  from  San  Francis- 
co, Miss  North  informed  Crieg  that  she  had 
found  that  Baylis  bore  a  worse  name  there, 
than  he,  Crieg,  had  given  him.  She  sent  back 
all  the  presents  she  had  received,  and  immedi- 
ately broke  her  engagement  with  Baylis. 

"I  hope  I  may  never  see  him  again,"  she 
said,  when  this  was  done;  "but  how  thankful  I 
am  that  his  revenge  on  you  failed,  and  that  I 
am  still  free,"  she  had  said  to  Crieg. 

"  I  have  one  request.  Don't  tell  his  poor 
sister  the  true  reason,"  said  Crieg. 

"That  I'll  promise,  for  I  love  her  dearly," 
she  had  answered. 

About  the  first  of  March,  the  news  of  William 
Baylis'  marriage  to  Nettie  Dean  of  Sacramento 
came  to  Crieg's  Nest's  inmates.  This  glad- 
dened their  hearts,  for  they  thought  it  might 
end  his  evil  career.  Little  did  they  think  this 
was  part  of  his  plan  for  revenge  upon  Ross 
Crieg.  He  had  taken  this  young  girl  from  a 
low  den  or  dive  in  the  city,  under  the  promise 
of  marriage.  He  went  through  the  ceremony 


148  FIRST    WED,    THEN    WON. 

but  Hill  performed  the  minister's  part.  He 
took  his  mistress  to  his  home  at  Ivy  Glen  mine. 
He  was  perfecting  his  plans  in  such  a  manner 
that  when  he  struck  the  blow,  he  thought,  no 
one  would  look  to  him  as  the  one  who  dealt  it. 
His  spies  were  watching  every  move  at  Grieg's 
Nest  Not  a  person  there  but  Baylis  knew  of 
their  daily  movements  and  habits.  Yet  not 
one  of  those  at  the  Nest  dreamed  of  this  sur- 
veilance. 

Neil  Dow  had  never  been  in  the  habit  of  com- 
ing to  the  Nest  for  orders,  but  after  the  arrival 
of  Jennie  North  he  had  said  to  Grieg,  that  as 
he  had  ladies  at  the  house,  he  would  save  him 
extra  trips  down  to  the  office.  Grieg  consented 
to  Dow 's  plan;  thus  every  evening  found  Dow 
at  the  Nest.  Finally  Grieg  began  to  watch 
them  closely  and  became  convinced  that  mutu- 
al love  abided  between  Miss  North  and  Dow. 
He  called  his  niece  one  day,  and  confided  his 
thoughts  to  her.  Orabelle  watched  them  when 
next  they  met,  and  told  her  Uncle  she  ' '  be- 
lieved he  was  right." 


FIRST    WED,    THEN    WON  149 

"  Mr.  Crieg,  have  you  known  Mr.  Dow  a 
long  time?"  asked  Jennie  North,  one  April 
morning. 

"Yes,  several  years,"  he  said. 

' '  Do  you  think  he  is  a  man  that  would  be 
true  to  his  wife?"  asked  Miss  North,  while  Ora- 
belle  turned  to  her  with  surprise  and  asked : 

"  Jennie,  why  do  you  ask  Uncle?" 

"When  he  told  me  of  Will  Baylis,  he  gave 
me  good  advice.  Now  I  have  another  offer, 
and  I  wish  his  advice  again,"  she  answered  with 
a  smile. 

' '  I  have  never  known  Neil  Dow  to  do  one 
unkind  or  evil  deed,"  answered  Crieg."  "I 
think  his  habits  are  good,  temper  fine  and  dis- 
position good.  I  guess  that  is  about  all,  only 
he  is  poor,"  said  Crieg  very  slowly. 

"Don't  you  know  that  poverty  does  not 
stand  in  his  way!  I  care  not  that,"  and  she 
snapped  her  fingers;  "  I  have  enough  for  both — 
certainly  more  than  two  need. ' ' 

"  I  do  not  think  Dow  knows  you  are  weal- 
thy, ' '  musingly  said  Crieg. 


150          FIRST  WED,    THEN    WON. 

"  Then  do  not  tell  him,"  said  Jennie. 

The  wooing  of  Dow  passed  quite  smoothly. 
He  urged  for  an  early  marriage.  And  the  first 
day  of  May  saw  the  twain  made  one,  after 
which  they  started  immediately  for  the  east. 
Dow  was  somewhat  surprised  on  their  arrival  at 
Albany  to  find  that  his  dowerless  bride  was  a 
millionaire.  But  a  surprise  of  this  kind  never 
causes  any  serious  trouble. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

ORABELLE    DISAPPEARS. 

"  Sad!  sad  indeed  is  a  soul  by  doubt  oppressed, 
And  so  filled  with  torture,  the  heart  is  distressed," 

^vRABELLE  had  been  in  California  two 
v-/ months,  when  she  purchased  a  pair  of  po- 
nies and  learned  to  ride.  She  was  in  the  habit 
of  riding  many  miles  every  pleasant  day.  About 
the  middle  of  May  she  started  on  her  pony  alone 
to  see  why  it  was  that  Hay  wood's  message 
called  her  to  the  vineyard  so  urgently,  for  he 
had  never  sent  for  her  before.  She  had  been 


FIRST    WED,    THEN    WON.  151 

gone  nearly  an  hour,  when  her  horse  dashed  in- 
to the  yard  at  the  Nest,  covered  with  foam  and 
a  broken  bit  dangling  at  its  side.  This  threw 
the  household  into  the  greatest  alarm  for  the 
safety  of  Orabelle.  Hastily  summoning  her 
brother  from  the  vineyards,  Mrs.  Grey  urged 
that  search  should  be  made  at  once.  Crieg 
mounted  a  swift  horse  and  sped  over  the  sup- 
posed route  that  Orabelle  had  taken.  When  he 
arrived  at  the  overseer's  house  he  learned  that 
she  had  not  been  there. 

' '  She  started  immediately  after  receiving 
your  message,"  said  Crieg  to  Hay  wood. 

' '  My  message !  I  have  sent  Mrs.  Mitchel  no 
message,"  he  cried  in  alarm. 

"  What!  you  deny  it?" 

"  I  do.  If  I  had  needed  any  instructions- 
I  should  have  sent  for  them,"  Hay  wood  said. 

"  Hay  wood,  she  received  a  note,  we  thought 
it  your  handwriting,  asking  her  to  come  over 
here  immediately  and  see  about  some  business 
that  must  be  attended  to  to-day,  signed  by 
your  name,  "he  said  with  bowed  head.  Hay- 


152  FIRST    WED,    THEN  WON. 

wood  was  silent.  Then  raising  his  head  Crieg 
said: 

"  Can  you  leave  here  for  some  time  and  join 
In  the  search?" 

"  I  think  so.  I'll  leave  my  instructions  and 
be  with  you  in  a  few  minutes,  ready  to  go," 
answered  Hay  wood. 

"  Be  quick  about  it  for  there  is  not  a  moment 
to  lose. ' ' " 

A  searching  party  was  soon  sent  out  but  their 
search  was  in  vain.  Orabelle  had  disappeared 
as  completely  as  though  the  earth  had  opened 
and  swallowed  her  within  its  depths.  Crieg  set 
detectives  to  work  on  the  case  but  they  were 
baffled. 

After  weeks  of  vain  search  for  the  missing 
girl,  Crieg  sent  a  letter  to  the  Mitchels,  inform- 
ing them  of  what  had  happened  and  what  had 
been  done.  Telling  them  he  thought  it  best  for 
Claud  to  be  informed ;  for  he  could  see  no  reason 
for  her  disappearance.  He  thought  Claud 
ought  to  come  home  and  assist  in  the  search. 

The   Mitchels  waited  sometime  before  they 


FIRST  WED,   THEN  WON.  153 

answered  the  letter  of  Grieg's.  When  they  did 
write  for  more  information  concerning  their 
missing  daughter,  he  had  no  more  news  than 
he  had  already  given  to  write  them ;  but  he  still 
urged  them  to  send  for  Claud. 

When  Orabelle  left  her  uncle's  home,  she 
hurried  along  until  within  a  quarter  of  a  mile  of 
her  own  door,  where,  seeing  some  pretty  flowers 
she  hastily  dismounted  to  gather  them.  She 
had  seen  two  horsemen,  seemingly  following 
her,  but  she  paid  no  attention  to  them  until  they 
galloped  up  and  dismounted  as  they  accosted 
her.  She  started  up  in  alarm  but  thought  best 
not  to  show  any  fear  before  them.  While  one 
held  her  attention,  the  other  slyly  went  behind 
her,  threw  over  her  head  a  cloak  of  heavy  cloth, 
which  muffled  the  scream  she  gave.  Then  the 
other  man  said  it  was  no  use  to  scream  for  no 
one  was  in  sight.  She  struggled  so  violently 
that  they  chloroformed  her.  After  they  suc- 
ceeded in  quieting  her,  they  broke  the  bit  and 
lashed  her  horse  into  a  frenzy,  then  started  him 
homewards. 


i54  FIRST  WED,   THEN  WON. 

Then  the  men  mounted  their  horses,  and  one 
bore  the  extra  burden  of  an  inanimate  woman. 
They  turned  backward  over  the  same  road  and 
a  few  moments  ride  brought  them  to  a  road 
turning  to  the  left,  which  they  rode  over  very 
quickly  until  they  reached  the  hut  at  Ivy  Glen 
mine. 

When  Orabelle  first  opened  her  eyes,  she 
could  not  think  what  had  happened  that  she 
should  be  in  that  strange  place.  As  soon  as  she 
stirred  a  young  woman  came  to  her  side,  say- 
ing : 

"You  are  better  now,  ain't  you?"  and  as 
Orabelle  began  to  question  her,  she  added, 
"Keep  quiet  and  you  will  soon  be  well. " 

' '  But  where  am  I  ?  Am  I  sick  ?  Who  brought 
me  here  ?"  were  some  of  the  questions  Orabelle 
asked  from  time  to  time. 

' '  Two  men  from  the  mine  found  you  where 
your  horse  had  thrown  you ;  they  said  you  were 
stunned,  when  you  did  not  revive,"  the  woman 
had  said  in  answer  to  her  queries,  for  that  was 
what  she  had  been  told. 


FIRST   WED,    THEN    WON.  155 

' '  My  horse  threw  me !  I  do  not  believe  it, ' ' 
said  Orabelle,  "Where  is  the  master?"  she 
asked  at  another  time. 

"  In  Sacramento.  Shall  I  tell  him  you  want 
to  see  him  when  he  comes?" 

"Yes,"  she  said,  but  when  she  saw  she  could 
learn  no  more  from  her,  who  supposed  herself 
the  wife  of  William  Baylis,  she  said:  "please 
go  and  leave  me  alone. ' ' 

After  the  woman  left  the  room,  Orabelle  tried 
to  arise  but  was  too  weak  yet  from  the  effects 
of  the  anaesthetic,  which  came  near  being  an 
overdose. 

Just  as  the  shades  of  evening  were  darkening 
the  room  a  man's  form  entered  the  door- way. 
Orabelle  looked  up  at  the  sound  and  waited  for 
the  figure  to  advance. 

' '  Who  is  it?"  she  asked  as  the  silence  became 
unbearable. 

The  man  entered  the  room  then,  closed  and 
fastened  the  door  behind  him.  As  he  advanced 
closer  to  the  bed  Orabelle  recognized  him  and 
screamed. 


156  FIRST    WED,    THEN   WON. 

"  Hush!  do  not  alarm  yourself,  for  I  will  not 
harm  you,"  he  said  kindly. 

"William  Baylis,  what  does  this  mean?"  she 
cried  out  angrily,  and  too  astonished  to  think  of 
any  reason  for  him  to  be  there. 

"It  means  that  you  are  in  my  power;  and 
that  here  you  will  have  to  stay  in  this  tempor- 
ary prison,  unless  you  promise  to  become  my 
wife!" 

' '  Your  wife !  Where  is  your  wife"  she  asked 
hoarsely. 

"I  have  no  wife,"  he  said  with  an  evil  smile. 
'  'And  now,  speak  lower  or  you  will  not  fare  so 
well  when  I  am  gone,  if  that' girl  hears  you," 
and  he  motioned  towards  the  other  room. 

"No  wife!"  she  said  in  astonishment;  "We 
heard  you  married  a  girl  from  Sacremento,  early 
in  the  spring. ' ' 

"Ha!  Ha!  that's  out  is  it,"  and  he  laughed 
heartily. 

"  Then  you  own  the  marriage." 

"Not  so  loud,"  he  said  fiercely,  "I  tell  you  I 
am  not  married." 


FIRST    WED,    THEN  WON.  157 

"  Then  you  are ,"  she  stopped  and  looked 

at  him  with  an  inquiring  look.  She  was  search- 
ing for  the  truth  in  the  expression  of  his  face. 

"I  guess  you  have  the  right  thought  now;  it 
was  a  mock  marriage,"  he  said  with  a  cunning 
lear.' 

"Oh,  you  hideous  monster!  Get  out  of  my 
sight.  And  oh !  let  me  go  home. ' ' 

"  Home  you  never  go,  only  as  my  wife!" 

' '  Listen !  I  am  already  a  wife ;  and  if  I  de- 
sired such  a  union,  you  see  it  could  not  be," 
she  said,  thinking  that  would  be  all  she  need 
say.  But  she  had  no  idea  of  the  man  she  had 
to  deal  with. 

"  Miss  Mitchel,  I  fell  in  love  with  you  when 
you  and  I  met  in  New  York ;  and  I  swore  then 
by  fair  or  foul  means  to  win  you  for  my  wife. 
When  I  learned  that  you  were  the  niece  of  Ross 
Crieg,  then  I  said  I  would  win  you  in  such  a 
manner  that  he  would  shun  you  ever  after. 
Think  you  he  will  ever  speak  with  you  again 
when  he  finds  out  where  you  are  ?" 

"  Is  this  your  revenge  on  that  poor  old  man? 


158  FIRST    WED,    THEN    WON. 

Do  you  realize  what  you  have  done?  You  have 
stolen  another  man's  wife,"  she  said  slowly. 

"  Are  you  telling  me  the  truth?"  he  hoarsely 
asked,  for  he  had  thought  her  fooling  when  she 
said  she  was  a  wife. 

"Yes,"  she  said,  "I  was  married  the  next 
morning  after  Christmas,  four  years  ago  last 
winter. ' ' 

"  To  whom  ?"  he  almost  yelled  in  his  intense 
excitement.  This  was  something  he  had  not 
thought  of  and  his  plans  did  not  meet  this. 

"Claud  Mitch  el,"  she  answered,  wondering 
why  he  asked. 

An  evil  look  passed  over  his  face  when  she 
gave  the  name  of  her  husband. 

"  Where  is  he?"  he  hisses. 

"  In  Germany,  finishing  his  education.  " 

' '  There  I  hope  he'll  stay !  So  my  revenge  is 
greater  than  I  thought. ' ' 

Here  he  turned  his  evil  eyes  upon  her  in  one 
long  triumphant  look. 

' '  Mrs.  Mitchel,  so  you  claim  your  name  to  be, 
I  will  promise  no  harm  shall  come  to  you,  if 


FIRST    WED,    THEN    WON.          159 

you  will  promise  to  never  seek  to  leave  here, 
and  to  allow  us  to  call  you  Nora  Belle.  Will 
you  promise?" 

"No,  I  will  not!" 

"Then  I  shall  confine  you  entirely  to  this 
room.  These  people  you  see  here  are  all  in 
my  employ  and  will  do  my  every  bidding.  I  do 
not  wish  to  use  violence,  but  here  you  must 
stay." 

"  And  if  I  promise?"  she  gasped. 

"  You  shall  have  all  the  liberties  of  the  yard 
and  good  treatment.  Will  you  promise?" 

"Yes,"  she  said,  thinking  that  if  she  prom- 
ised she  would  have  some  chance  to  make  an 
escape. 

She  tried  many  times,  but  failed  to  bribe  any 
of  the  people  she  saw.  Once  she  gained  quite 
a  distance  ahead  of  her  pursuers  in  an  at- 
tempted flight,  but  not  knowing  the  way  she 
was  captured  and  returned  to  the  old  hut. 

When  Baylis  knew  that  Claud  Mitchel's  wife 
was  in  his  power,  then  he  thought  he  had  a 
double  revenge  within  his  grasp. 


ORA BELLE  AT  EIUHTEKN 


FIRST    WED,    THEN    WON.  161 

for  about  two  years,  since  you  gave  me  such  a 
scolding?" 

"I  remember  well,  how  angry  you  were  at 
that  time  and  supposed  that  was  the  reason. " 

"  That  was  one  reason.  Then  I  made  up  my 
mind  to  work  hard  and  not  fool  my  opportuni- 
ties away ;  for  my  people  wrote  my  wife  was 
studious  and  if  I  was  not  careful  would  have 
the  best  education. ' ' 

Dr.  Glynn  arched  his  eyebrows  at  this,  but 
waited  for  Claud  to  finish  his  story. 

After  a  moment  Claud  resumed : 

' '  They  wrote  me  that  her  one  idea  seemed 
to  be — that  she  must  be  perfect  in  everything — 
so  I  shall  not  have  one  vain  regret  when  I  go  to 
claim  her." 

As  he  unfolded  the  package  in  his  hands  he 
said:  "  She  has  sent  me  her  picture.  What  do 
you  think  of  my  little  wife  now?"  he  asked  as 
he  put  the  picture  in  the  doctor's  hand.  Dr. 
Glynn  gazed  thoughtfully  at  the  picture,  then 
exclaimed :  "I  think  you  a  fool ! ' ' 
"What!"  Claud  wrathfully  cried. 


1 62  FIRST    WED,    THEN  WON. 

"  Let  me  see,"  he  began  calmly,  "  I  believe  I 
said  years  ago,  that  a  plain  little  girl  might 
make  a  beautiful  woman ;  and  surely,  if  this  is 
the  face  of  your  wife,  she  is  a  beautiful  woman. 
If  this  is  a  true  picture  of  her — what  a  woman 
she  will  make — true  to  everything  that  is  right 
and  woe  to  the  wrongdoing  that  comes  under 
her  jurisdiction,  I  should  say. " 

"Your  study  of  her  picture,  and  mine  are 
something  alike,  but,  don't  you  dare  to  do  as  I 
have  done!"  he  said,  a  sort  of  chuckle  in  his 
voice. 

' ' ,Why,  what  have  you  done? ' ' 

' '  I  fell  in  love  with  the  picture. " 

"  Fell  in  love  with  your  wife!  Oh,  Claud,  that 
is  too  good  to  keep !  if  I  ever  see  her  I  shall  tell 
her  of  this " 

"Fred,  hush!" 

"Is  this  the  first  attack?"  he  questioned 
jokingly. 

Claud  ignored  his  question  and  asked : 
* '  What  would  you  do  if  you  like  me  had  a  wife 
in  America,  if  she  had  disappeared  from  her 


FIRST  WED,    THEN  WON.  163 

home;   and   friends  there   could  not   find    the 
slightest  clue  to  her  hiding  place?" 

"  Go  and  search  for  her  just  as  fast  as  steam 
and  water  could  get  me  there, ' '  he  answered 
quickly. 

''Will  you  go  with  me?" 
"  Will  I  go  with  you!  what  do  you  mean?" 
' '  Read  this  letter  from  my  father  and  you 
will  know  all  I  do  about  it. ' ' 
After  reading  the  letter  he  asked : 
"  How  soon  will  you  start?" 
"  I  have  looked  up  the  steamers  and  find  I 
cannot  leave  Liverpool  uutil  the  3oth,  so  I  will 
be  here  five  days,  yet,  you    see.     Won't   you 
go  with  me,  instead  of  to  Italy?" 

When  the  first  American  bound  steamer  left 
Liverpool,  Claud  Mitchel  and  Fred  Glynn  were 
among  its  passengers.  The  wind  and  weather 
being  favorable,  they  had  a  pleasant  passage 
across  the  Atlantic,  instead  of  the  long  coveted 
Italian  journey. 

Without  stopping  to  give  Dr.  Glynn  a  chance 
to  see  New  York,  they  hurried  on  to  the 


164  FIRST   WED,    THEN   WON. 

Mitchel  home  and  learned  all  the  news  of  the 
missing  woman,  they  had  received  there,  then,. 
on  to  California.  Mr.  Mitchel  joined  them  in 
their  search  for  the  missing  woman. 

Once,  when  they  were  talking  about  Orabelle's 
flight,  Glynn  said: 

"Mr.  Mitchel,  do  you  think  this  Crieg  would 
give  you  a  welcome  at  his  house?" 

"  I  am  sure  he  would;  why?" 

"I  think,  as  Claud  has  been  there  once,  now 
he  has  a  beard  and  probably  no  one  would  rec- 
ognize him  at  first,  he  had  better  take  the  name 
of  Wells,  or  Leon  Wells.  He  and  I  will  stop  at 
San  Francisco.  You  go  on  to  the  home  of  Crieg ; 
and  when  we  meet,  we  must  meet  as  strangers, 
or  as  traveling  companions. " 

"I  don't  want  to  go  under  a  false  name,'* 
Claud  said  petulantly. 

"  If  duty  calls,  obey  that  call,"  said  Glynn. 

"  But  duty  doesn't  call  a  man  to  use  a  false 
name, "  Claud  replied  sternly. 

' '  I  think  it  does  in  this  case.  You  have  been 
known  there  years  ago;  are  going  there  now  in 


FIRST    WED,    THEN   WON.  165 

•Search  of  your  wife,  who  is  missing.  The  rea- 
son of  this  mystery  we  do  not  know.  Whether 
she  or  you  prove  the  cause,  you  had  best  not 
be  known,  let  them  think  you  in  Europe." 

' '  Claud,  I  believe  the  doctor  is  right.  We 
will  let  him  lead  us,"  Mr.  Mitch  el  said,  after  a 
moment's  thought. 

"  If  you  say  so,  father,  I'll  be  guided  by  you," 
he  acquiesced. 

They  called  him  Leon  Wells  from  that  mo- 
ment; and  before  they  reached  California  he 
said  he  could  answer  just  as  promptly  to  that 
name  as  to  his  own.  When  they  arrived  at  San 
Francisco,  they  hired  a  man  to  carry  them  out 
to  Crieg's  Nest. 

Glynn  and  Wells  remained  in  the  carriage 
while  Mr.  Mitchel  went  to  ascertain  if  he  was 
welcome.  He  returned  in  a  few  moments  for 
his  baggage,  and  informed  them  that  no  more 
news  of  the  missing  one  had  been  gained. 
They  returned  to  the  city,  and  took  up  their 
abode  at  the  same  hotel  that  had  sheltered 
Claud  when  last  in  San  Francisco. 


1 66  FIRST    WED,    THEN    WON. 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

A    MISTAKE    AND    THE    RESULT. 
"  There  was  one  who  offered  a  helpingjhand 
To  guide  her  home  to  the  loving  band." 

HILL,  I  have  found  you  at  last.  Where 
have  you  been  for  three  weeks?" 

' '  Hid !  Say  Baylis,  they  have  got  two  new 
ones  from  the  east,  'Clip'  says,"  Hill  made  an- 
swer in  a  hushed  voice.  Baylis'  detective,  Clip, 
had  taken  Glynn  and  Wells  for  two  real  detec- 
tives. 

"Bah!  What  do  I  care?  They  can  put  all 
the  detectives  in  the  world  on  our  track,  and 
they  will  never  find  her,"  he  said,  as  though  he> 
William  Baylis,  would  never  be  tripped  up  in 
his  plans. 

"  Don't  be  too  sure.  They  may  squeal  on  us 
at  the  mine." 

"  They  do  not  know  enough !  But,  come, 
tell  me  the  news  from  the  Nest. ' ' 

"  Clip  says  her  father  has  come  from  the  east 
and  joined  in  the  search." 


FIRST    WED,    THEN    WON  167 

"Good!  The  more  trouble  lean  make  the 
better  suited  I  am.  But  enough  of  this.  Nettie 
says  many  things  that  shows  she  is  getting 
some  inkling  of  this  affair  from  some  source,, 
and  is  getting  rather  frisky  over  it.  She  thinks 
I  have  lost  my  love  for  her.  As  if  I  ever  had 
any,"  he  chuckled,  "  and  she  threatens  me." 

' '  Are  you  afraid  of  her?" 

"  No  and  yes.  She  might  make  it  warm  for 
us,  if  she  knew  enough  to  make  use  of  the 
knowledge  she  has  of  our  affairs,  just  at  present. 

' '  While  Baylis  was  speaking  a  man  from  the 
mine  came  and  handed  him  a  note,  then  turned" 
and  left  without  more  ado.  Baylis  read  it,  then 
turned  to  Hill  with  horror,  saying: 

"  Good  God!  Hill,  Nettie  says  she  thinks  Nora 
has  diphtheria  and  wants  help  quick,  if  I  care 
whether  she  lives  or  dies.  I  cannot  send  a  doc- 
tor from  this  place  up  there,  for  they  would 
know  her. ' ' 

"  Perhaps  there  is  a  stranger  to  be  found,"" 
Hill  answered  after  a  moment. 

"  Go!     Look  over  every  register  in  the  city; 


168  FIRST    WED,    THEN    WON. 

and  if  you  find  one,  bring  him  to  the  house,  but 
Swear  him  to  secrecy  first." 

Hill  searched  diligently,  and  luck  or  fate  sent 
him  after  Dr.  Glynn.  Here  is  his  one  great 
mistake.  Dr.  Glynn  supposed  he  was  going  to 
see  the  crazy  sister  of  William  Baylis,  the  rich 
owner  of  Ivy  Glen  mine. 

Soon  after  his  entrance  into  the  presence  of 
the  sick  girl,  he  recognized  the  likeness  between 
the  picture  of  Mitch  el's  wife  and  the  prostrate 
woman  before  him. 

He  worked  faithfully  .for  her  recovery  and 
when  she  was  able  to  talk,  he  told  her  he  was  a 
friend ;  and  if  she  would  tell  him  her  name  and 
why  she  was  there,  he  would  help  her. 

She  tried  three  times  to  tell  him  her  story, 
before  they  were  left  alone  long  enough,  and 
then  he  had  just  time  to  say : 

"Then  I'll  save  you,  if  you  will  do  just  as  I 

say;  get  well  first;  and  trust  me  you "  He 

stopped  and  hastily  added,  for  he  heard  them 
coming,  "take  ever}"  bit  of  this  in  this  glass, 
then  the  other  kind.  If  you  are  any  worse  let 


FIRST    WED,    THEN  WON.  169 

me  know  tonight.  I  will  come  again  in  the 
morning,"  in  a  professional  manner  and  went 
back  to  the  city. 

When  she  was  able  to  leave  the  bed  and  walk 
around  the  room,  and  had  heard  no  more  of  his 
rescuing,  she  thought  he  was  only  another  agent 
of  Baylis's,  who  had  tried  to  pacify  her. 

"Where  have  you  been,  Fred?"  asked  Wells, 
as  we  shall  call  him  for  a  little  time,  when 
Glynn  came  in  from  his  fifth  professional  trip. 

' '  I  have  been  out  among  the  mines. ' ' 

"  Prospecting?"  Wells  said  jokingly. 

"Yes.  Come  up  to  my  room  and  I'll  tell 
you  of  my  find. ' ' 

When  seated  in  the  room  he  asked  Claud  for 
one  more  look  at  his  wife's  picture.  He  reluc- 
tantly produced  the  picture  from  an  inner 
pocket. 

Glynn  gazed  long  at  the  face  pictured  there. 
At  last  he  half  muttered :  ' '  Yes,  it  is  the  same !" 

"The  same!  what  mean  you,  Fred  Glynn? 
Have  you  seen  my  wife?"  he  asked  impatiently. 

' '  Patience,    Leon,    patience !    I    have    been 


1 7o  FIRST    WED,    THEN  WON. 

called  up  to  Ivy  Glen  mine  to  see  a  diphtheria 
patient — sworn  to  keep  it  a  secret,  too — and 
now  I  break  that  oath,  for  I  feel  it  is  a  good 
reason  I  have  for  doing  so. ' ' 

"  Never  mind  your  oath  and  your  reasons, 
but  tell  me  quick,"  siad  Wells  impatiently. 

"  Don't  be  hasty,  Leon?  I  think  the  girl  I 
saw  there  was  your  wife.  Hold !  Where  are 
you  going?"  As  Wells  dashed  for  the  door. 
He  paused  and  listened  to  the  doctor. 

' '  It  will  do  you  no  good  to  do  a  rash  act. 
I  think  I  know  your  wishes,  but  listen  to  me. 
She  is  very  sick  and  to  move  her  at  present 
would  endanger  her  life. ' ' 

"What  shall  I  do?"  he  asked,  as  he  sank 
into  a  chair;  "  Leave  her  in  that  villain's  power 
I  will  not!"  he  exclaimed  fiercely. 

"Be  reasonable,  Leon!  Let  us  go  to  work 
and  weave  a  web  around  those  villains  in  such 
a  manner,  that  when  it  is  closed  they  cannot  es- 
cape. I  mean  to  close  up  the  trap  just  as  soon 
as  I  think  it  prudent  to  move  Mrs.  Mitchel  from 
her  present  abode. ' ' 


FIRST   WED,    THEN   WON.         171 

"Are  you  sure  it  is  Orabelle?  " 

"  I  cannot  be  positive,  but  I'll  make  sure  in 
the  morning.  Then  if  we  are  right  we  will 
drive  out  to  the  Nest,  and  start  the  ball  rolling. ' ' 

After  talking  with  his  patient  and  learning  all 
she  could  tell  of  her  confinement  in  this  secret 
place,  he  returned,  and  with  Wells  drove  out  to 
the  Nest. 

It  was  thought  best  for  Claud  and  his  friend 
to  keep  in  the  dark  as  much  as  possible,  and 
leave  the  detectives  to  do  the  work. 

When  the  net  was  ready  to  catch  their  fish, 
Mr.  Mitchel,  Mrs.  Grey,  Mr.  Crieg  and  several 
policemen  in  plain  clothes,  started  out  to  visit 
Ivy  Glen  mine  under  the  pretense  of  buying,  if 
Mrs.  Grey  was  suited  after  the  others  were  satis- 
fied with  their  inspection. 

When  the  mine  had  been  inspected  and 
proven  satisfactory,  Mrs.  Grey  with  a  sweet 
smile  turned  to  Baylis  and  asked : 

"  Isn't  there  a  house  of  some  kind  goes  with 
the  mine?" 

"Yes,"  impatiently,    "step    this  way  a  bit 


1 72  FIRST  WED,   THEN  WON. 

and  you  can  see  it  up  there, ' '  and  he  pointed 
towards  the  north,  but  made  no  move  to  show 
them  farther. 

"  Oh,  I  must  see  that,  too?  I  could  not  buy 
the  mine  without  the  house,"  she  said  and  sly- 
ly winked  to  her  brother. 

Baylis  seemed  to  reculantly  comply  with  their 
wishes.  He  cast  suspicious  glances  at  them,  all 
the  wa^  to  the  house,  though  nothing  but  com- 
ments on  the  scenery  were  made;  and  they 
lingered  along  as  though  they  were  in  no  hurry, 
or  even  in  haste  to  go  inside  when  they  reached 
the  shanty. 

Baylis  tried  his  best  to  keep  them  outside, 
showing  the  ivy  which  had  been  the  means  of 
their  finding  gold  so  plentiful ;  and  when  inside 
the  house,  he  tried  to  keep  them  from  Ora- 
belle's  room  saying  his  crazy  sister  had  that 
room  and  was  just  recovering  from  diptheria. 

Mrs.  Grey  seemed  determined  to  see  every 
room  in  the  house  and  so  his  efforts  failed — as 
they  knew  they  would — and  they  compelled  him 
to  unlock  the  door. 


FIRST   WED,    THEN    WON.  173 

At  the  opening  of  the  door  Orabelle  looked 
up  from  the  book  she  held  in  her  hand,  and 
sprang  to  her  Uncle's  side,  crying: 

' '  Uncle  Ross,  save  me ! ' ' 

Crieg  clasped  her  in  his  arms  as  he  turned  to 
the  men  saying;  "  Do  your  duty!  " 

"  Don't  cry,  darling,  we  have  come  to  save 
you.  Here  is  Aunt  Kate,  too,"  he  said,  his 
voice  choked  with  tears  of  joy. 

Orabelle  was  so  over  come  with  excitement, 
that  it  was  several  hours  before  the  party  dare 
set  out  on  their  return  journey. 

On  the  way  home  Orabelle  pointed  out 
where  she  had  stopped  to  gather  flowers,  when 
she  was  kidnapped. 

Baylis  was  tried  and  convicted.  Sentenced 
to  ten  years  at  hard  labor;  but  he  died  before 
five  years  of  that  sentence  had  been  served  out ; 
and  thus  his  sister  became  the  owner  of  Ivy 
Glen  mine. 

When  Claud  saw  his  father  alone,  he  begged 
for  permission  to  woo  Orabelle  under  the  name 
of  Wells.  He  argued  so  well  that  when  and  he 


i74          FIRST  WED,    THEN   WON. 

Glynn  went  to  Grieg's  Nest,  to  see  the  lady 
that  Glynn  had  helped  to  save,  Mr.  Mitchel  still 
called  him  Leon  Wells. 


CHAPTER  XX. 

CONCLUSION. 

"  Oh,    the   world   it  is  a  good  place,  and  I  would 

never  die, 
While   there's   a   kiss    unstolen,    from   a    lass  that 

loves  the  thief; 
But  if   she  would  grow  unfaithful  there  were  none 

so  lost  as  I; 
I  would  go  into  another  world  and    get   me   some 

relief." 

*"pH ROUGH  the  influence  of  Orabelle,  for 
1  the  good  treatment  received  at  her  hand, 
while  confined  at  Ivy  Glen  mine,  Nettie  Dean 
was  sent  to  an  eastern  school  for  young  ladies. 
She  is  now  ranked  among  our  best  teachers. 

About  six  weeks  after  her  rescue  and  return 
to  Crieg's  Nest,  Orabelle  said  to  her  Aunt  and 
Uncle:  "  I  think  I  shall  return  east,  soon. " 

"Why?"     They  both  cried. 


FIRST    WED,    THEN    WON.  175 

' '  Oh,  I  cannot  stay  here !" 

' '  Don't  you  like  it  here?"     Her  Uncle  asked. 

"  Yes,  but  I  must  go  back  home,"  she  sobbed. 

"What  is  it,  dear  child?"  He  asked  as  he 
threw  an  arm  around  the  girl.  ' '  Confide  in 
your  old  Uncle,"  he  pleaded. 

"If  I  do  you  will  be  ashamed  of  me,"  she 
said. 

"  I  think  not,"  he  answered. 

' '  One  reason  is,  my  husband  may  return. ' ' 

"Fudge!"     Cried  Crieg. 

' '  The  other  reason,  I  cannot  stay  here  in  the 
presence  of  that  doctor's  friend!" 

"I  see!  I  see!  You  should  have  kept  that 
heart  of  thine  under  better  control,  dear,  and 
not  given  it  away  before  your  husband  came. ' ' 

"Stop!  Uncle,  you  are  taking  too  much 
for  granted.  I  will  prove  faithful  to  my  mar- 
riage vow ! ' ' 

' '  Even  though  you  perish. ' ' 

"  Uncle!"  She  interrupted. 

' '  Orabelle,  did  you  know  this  marriage  could 
be  annulled?"  Her  Uncle  asked. 


1 76  FIRST   WED,    THEN   WON. 

"No!  Don't  speak  of  it.  I  will  never  seek 
a  divorce!"  And  she  swept  from  the  room. 

"  Kate,"  said  Crieg  after  the  door  closed,  I 
have  been  afraid  of  this  happening  all  the  time." 

' '  So  have  I.  If  the  words  of  Orabelle  con- 
veyed her  thoughts  correctly,  I  think  it  would 
be  well  to  speak  to  Mr.  Mitchel;  hint  to  him 
how  we  feel  and  see  if  he  won't  think  of  some 
way  to  •  send  young  Wells  away.  Still  I  wish 
she  were  free;  for  I  like  him, aud  I  am  inciined 
to  think  he  likes  her." 

' '  I  have  thought  so ;  but  I  thought  she  would 
see  it  and  repulse  him,"  said  Crieg. 

"  I  think  she  is  capable  of  fighting  her  own 
battles, ' '  said  Mrs.  Grey. 

When  Orabelle  left  their  presence,  she  follow- 
ed a  foot  path  that  led  down  the  rocks  to  the 
sea;  but  a  short  distance  from  the  house,  she 
paused  at  a  sheltered  spot  from  the  sun,  and  sat 
down  to  think  out  what  course  to  pursue. 

She  was  ashamed  of  herself  to  think  she,  a 
married  woman,  had  allowed  another  man  to 
win  her  love. 


FIRST   WED     THEN   WON.         177 

She  had  become  so  nervous  since  hei  return, 
that  any  noise  made  her  start  with  fear. 

Just  now  a  step  on  the  mossy  ledge  made  her 
shriek.  A  well  known  voice  asked : 

"  What  is  it  darling?" 

'\Don't!  Don't!"  She  cried,  and  put  out 
her  hand  as  though  to  ward  off  a  blow. 

He  caught  her  hand  and  drew  her  to  him,  for 
at  that  moment  her  vow  returned  to  him,  and 
quicker  than  a  wink  of  the  eye,  he  had  snatched 
a  kiss  from  her  lips. 

It  was  so  unexpected  that  she  did  not  have 
time  to  prevent  it.  She  wrenched  herself  free 
from  him  as  she  exclaimed : 

**  How  dare  you  insult  me  in  that  way!" 

Her  eyes  glittered  and  her  cheeks  flushed 
with  anger  as  she  said  it. 

"How  dare  I  ?"  He  asked.  '  'Because  I  love 
you,"  he  answered  as  lovingly  as  he  could,  for 
he  was  too  full  of  mirth  to  put  his  thoughts  in- 
to words. 

"  Love  me!    A  married  woman!"    She  cried. 

4<  No?"     He  queried. 


178          FIRST  WED,    THEN*  WON. 

' '  I  am,  and  know  I  do  wrong  listening  to 
this  much,"  she  said  bursting  into  tears. 

He  sprang  to  her  side  saying: 

"  Darling  do  not  cry,  and  you  shall  be  tor- 
tured no  more.  Give  me  one  kiss,"  and  he 
bent  to^kiss  her,  when  she  drew  her  fingers 
down  across  his  cheek  leaving  three  long  red 
marks  of  her  finger  nails,  as  she  sprang  from 
him  and  ran  towards  the  house,  with  Claud  in 
pursuit — for  it  was  Claud. 

Ross  Crieg  had  found  Mr.  Mitchel,  during 
this  time,  and  told  him  their  ideas  concerning 
Leon  Wells  and  Orabelle. 

"  Hem !  "  He  had  said  with  a  peculiar  smile" 
"I'll  give  him  a  hint  to  leave.  Look  there! 
And  he  pointed  to  Orabelle  running  at  full  speed 
with  Claud  in  close  pursuit. 

In  a  moment  Orabelle  paused,  pantingly,  by 
her  Unle's  side,  saying: 

"Uncle — will  you — make — that  man — leave 
here?"  Pointing  to  Leon  Wells,  Claud  Mitchel, 
as  he  entered  the  door  at  that  moment  and  still 
laughing. 


FIRST    WED,    THEN    WON.          179 

"Why?"     Asked  Grieg. 

"  He  kissed  me!  " 

Crieg  looked  angry  but  the  rest  laughed. 

"  Sir,"  began  Crieg  angrily,  but  Claud  inter- 
rupted with : 

"  I  would  like  to  know  if  a  man  hasn't  the 
right  to  kiss  his  own  wife  after " 

Crieg  confronted  him  still  more  angry. 

"Your  wife!     What  do  you  mean?  " 

"  Father,"  said  Claud,  "  explain  my  masking 
under  this  name,  will  you?" 

While  this  explanation  was  going  on,  Ora- 
belle  went  softly  from  the  room  to  where  her 
Aunt  was  reading,  and  went  up  close  to  her  be- 
fore she  said: 

"Claud  has  come,"  in  a  voice  choked  with 
laughter;  "  Come  and  meet  him." 

She  drew  her  Aunt  into  the  other  room  in 
time  to  hear  Mr.  Mitchelsay:  "Yes,  this  is  my 
son  Claud." 

Mr.  Crieg  called  Orabelle  to  his  side  then, 
and  asked  her  if  she  knew  who  had  come ;  and 
she  answered :  "  Yes. " 


i8o  FIRST    WED,    THEN    WON. 

"  Shall  I  send  him  away,  now?"  He  asked, 
a  merry  twinkle  in  his  eyes. 

"  Do  as  you  please,"  she  said,  determined  not 
to  show  Claud  whether  she  cared  or  not ;  ' '  but  I 
will  never  forgive  him  for  stealing  that  kiss, 
"Uncle,"  she  as  quickly  added. 

"  Oh,  yes  you  will,  and  kiss  him  in  the  bar- 
gain; for,  I  am  sure  you  love  him." 

"Oh,  Uncle!"  she  cried  and  started  to  leave 
*he  room. 

"  No,  no  you  don't!"  Cried  Claud  as  he 
caught  her.  "  Orabelle,  father  says  you  have 
kept  your  vow,  so  far,  now  fulfil  the  rest  of  it!" 

"What  part  haven't  I  kept?"  She  coolly 
asked. 

"  My  kiss  I  was  to  receive  on  my  return. " 

"  How  do  you  know  I  have  kissed  no  other 
man?"  She  saucily  asked. 

' '  Orabelle  when  I  became  sure  you  loved  me 
as  Leon  Wells,  I  told  you  I  loved  you,  which  is 
true.  Now,  if  you  had  broken  your  vow,  would 
have  been  angry  when  I  stole  that  kiss,  a  few 
moments  ago?  No,  you  would  not  have  given 


FIRST    WED,    THEN    WON  181 

me  that  claw  in  the  face,  as  you  did,"  and  he 
put  his  hand  to  his  face  upon  the  wounds. 

"  I  am  sorry  now,  but  you  deserved  it  for  de- 
ceiving me  in  this  way,"  she  said  teasingly. 

"You  carry  the  stripes,  quite  well,  my  son; 
but  don't  deserve  them  again,"  his  father  said 
as  he  placed  his  fingers  on  those  red  marks,  left 
by  the  fingers  of  Orabelle. 

"  No,  I  will  not,  providing  my  Little  Wife 
will  forgive  me  this  time." 

She  did  not  reply,  for  H.'iywood  came  in  the 
room  then  and  they  turned  to  tell  them  his 
master  had  arrived. 

The  surprise  for  a  moment  made  him  forget 
his  own  errand. 

"  Mrs.  Mitchel,"  he  said,  I  have  come  to  re_ 
sign  my  position :  for  my  year  of  probation  is 
about  expired  and  I  am  soon  to  leave  for  the 
east  to  marry  Miss  Baylis. " 

"Then  we  will  all  go  with  you,"  said  Ora- 
belle. 

Their  plans  were  soon  completed  for  the 
eastern  trip.  A  few  weeks  later  they  wit- 


i82  FIRST   WED,    THEN  WON. 

nessed  the  marriage  of  Lee  Haywood  and  Lucy 
Baylis. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Claud  Mitchel  pass  their  win- 
ters in  California  and  summers  at  the  old 
home  in  Oneonta  happy  in  each  others  love. 

"  I  courted  my  wife  after  marriage,"  said 
Claud,  when  asked  by  his  associates  how  he  won 
his  wife. 

THE    END. 


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